In brief
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cites preliminary investigations linking the attacker of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 to Islamist radical indoctrination. The incident saw a man stab an Indian pilot and attempt to seize control, dropping the aircraft 17,000 feet before passengers and crew overpowered him. Netanyahu stated the attacker was Omani and likely intended to crash the plane, while the UAE begins its own inquiry into potential terrorist motives. Both Israel and India have hailed the stabbed pilot as a hero, and airlines have suspended flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv amid heightened security concerns.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to Fox News, said investigations suggest the man who stabbed an Indian pilot on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 and tried to take over the aircraft was influenced by "Islamist radical indoctrination" and was likely planning to crash the plane.
The 787‑style aircraft plunged 17,000 feet two hours into its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv before passengers and crew seized the attacker and brought the plane safely to the ground.
Netanyahu added that the attacker, an Omani national, was "suicidal" and had said “kill me, kill me” after being restrained, indicating a clear intent to endanger the flight.
The United Arab Emirates has begun an investigation to determine if the incident was tied to terrorist motives. Meanwhile, the attacker was arrested in Saudi Arabia and is expected to be transferred to the UAE.
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi and the Indian mission in Israel praised the stabbed pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, as a hero after he was treated for injuries sustained during the attack.
Flydubai has suspended flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, and Israeli transports authorities have aligned the suspension with the Prime Minister’s directive. Airlines are arranging rescue flights to bring passengers back to Israel and additional flights are being organised by Etihad for the Abu Dhabi–Tel Aviv corridor.
