The Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight and attempting to take control of the aircraft has been handed over by Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates.
asserted
pilot → accuse → Emirates
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump also warned that Iran would be hit “very hard” if Tehran was linked to the alleged attempt
Investigation to examine whether the incident was a deliberate attempt to bring down the Israel-bound plane is under way.
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incident → warn → way
The aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 8 carrying 182 people, mostly Israelis, from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and caused the plane to plunge thousands of feet.
uncertain
plane → carry → feet
Saudi authorities had been conducting the preliminary probe before handing the suspect to the UAE.
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authorities → conduct → UAE
Israeli intelligence and security officials are also in Saudi Arabia assisting the investigation, while Israel has requested that the co-pilot be sent to Israel for questioning.
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pilot → assist → questioning
Investigators examine possible motives
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Investigators → examine → motives
The UAE has now taken over the investigation.
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UAE → take → investigation
The Emirati government said its team was examining the attack and “whether it was linked to any terrorist purpose”.
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it → say → purpose
The UAE has jurisdiction because the aircraft is registered there and its laws apply to crimes committed on board.
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laws → have → board
A regional official said several possibilities remained under investigation, including terrorism and mental disorders.
“All possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into.
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scenarios → say → disorders
Nothing is ruled out for now,” the official said.
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official → rule → ?
The co-pilot has not been publicly identified.
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pilot → identify → ?
Saudi authorities have been working with countries including Israel to establish a motive, with the UAE, the United States and Oman also involved in the investigation.
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UAE → work → investigation
Israeli officials were in Saudi Arabia to help investigate the suspect, and Israel has requested that he be sent to the country for questioning, although it remains unclear whether the request will be granted.
uncertain
request → help → questioning
The UAE said its investigation would also examine whether the attack was linked to any terrorist purpose.
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attack → say → purpose
Israel says co-pilot underwent Islamist indoctrination
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the initial investigation suggested the co-pilot had undergone Islamist indoctrination and may have been trying to crash the aircraft.
“The attacker, the co-pilot who attacked the captain, is now being interrogated.
uncertain
who → say → captain
What we know so far is that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Netanyahu told Fox News.
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Netanyahu → know → News
Netanyahu also described the struggle inside the cockpit, saying the co-pilot repeatedly called on crew members to kill him.
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pilot → describe → him
“They had to use earphone cords to tie his hands and then used plastic cuffs.
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They → have → cuffs
He is lying on the floor and he calls out to the crew 'kill me, kill me'.
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he → lie → me
So, it is clear that he was suicidal and was going to down the plane,” he said.
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he → go → plane
An Israeli official separately told The Times of Israel that social media material attributed to the co-pilot included posts about killing Jewish people.
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material → tell → people
The official said the material indicated that he had been radicalised into jihadist ideology, while stressing that the formal investigation was still under way.
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investigation → say → way
“Our understanding is he’s going to be transferred to the UAE,” the Israeli official said.
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official → go → UAE
Netanyahu said the co-pilot appeared to have exploited a loophole in Israeli aviation rules that normally bar pilots from flying to Israel if they are from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
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that → say → Israel
Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
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Oman → have → Israel
Netanyahu had also warned in recent days of heightened security threats but told CNN that Israel had received no specific warning related to the flight incident.
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Israel → warn → incident
US raises possible Iran link
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US → raise → link
US President Donald Trump has raised the possibility of an Iranian connection to the attack, although he has not provided evidence and said the investigation was still under way.
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investigation → raise → way
Asked at the White House whether he had been briefed about links between the co-pilot and Tehran, Trump said, “We’re working on it right now.”
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We → ask → it
“I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now,” he said.
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he → say → it
Trump did not elaborate on why he suspected Iran might be involved.
uncertain
Iran → elaborate → ?
Asked whether the US would retaliate against Tehran if Iran was behind the attack, Trump said, “Oh they’ll be hit, very hard, don’t worry.”
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they → ask → attack
“You just ask them,” he added.
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he → ask → them
“They know what happened.
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what → know → ?
They’ll be hit very hard.”
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They → hit → ?
Netanyahu, however, said it was too early to establish Iranian involvement.
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it → say → involvement
Trump's comments came as diplomatic efforts to end the seven-month US-Iran war appeared to have stalled.
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efforts → come → war
Passengers got into cockpit to take control of jet
Passengers on the plane have described how the bloodied Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, managed to open the cockpit door after being attacked, allowing passengers to enter and grapple with the co-pilot.
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passengers → get → pilot
The passengers then helped stabilise the aircraft after it went into an extremely steep descent.
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it → help → descent
…and 15 more, not listed.
The Aporia
