The Independent
· collected 2026-10-09 · by James C. Reynolds
The UAE attorney general reported that the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv attempted to hijack and crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport in Israel as a suicide attack. The 29-year-old Omani suspect had allegedly planned the act since September, familiarizing himself with the route on previous flights and even undergoing physical training for the assault. Investigators found that signs of his extremist views emerged as early as 2017 when he was studying in Australia. Despite meeting all professional and security requirements before joining flydubai, the suspect had a history that included flight training in New Zealand and rejected job applications from other airlines.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 30, 2026, a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv signaled an emergency while flying over Jordan and turned around, diverting to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The plane initially transmitted signals indicating possible unlawful interference but was later reported to have had a cockpit fight between pilots instead of a hijacking incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held consultations regarding the diverted flight, and the Israel Air Force scrambled fighter jets due to initial concerns about a hijack. The aircraft carried around 150 people, mostly Israelis, who were confirmed safe after landing in Tabuk.
Written for “Israel Bound Flight Diverts Due to Co…” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 342 other(s) covering the same event.
The co-pilot accused of trying to hijack a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv last week planned to crash the aircraft into a terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack, the UAE attorney general said on Friday.
asserted
general → accuse → Friday
Attorney general Hamad Saif al Shamsi said investigators believe the 29-year-old Omani co-pilot had begun carrying out a premeditated terrorist plot to seize flight FZ1073 on September 30 when he was apprehended.
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he → say → September
UAE public prosecutors found that the suspect had used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to “familiarise himself with the flight route and the airport”, state news agency WAM reported.
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WAM → find → route
The prosecutors believe the plan was inspired by the 9/11 attacks on the US.
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plan → believe → US
Their probe found there were signs of the suspect drifting towards “extremism and terrorism” as early as 2017, while studying in Australia.
asserted
suspect → find → Australia
The Boeing 737 aircraft was in Saudi airspace last Wednesday when the co-pilot attacked the captain with an axe mid-flight before being overwhelmed by others on board.
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pilot → attack → board
The incident caused the airliner to plunge 16,000 feet in 30 seconds before two other pilots were able to take control and guide the aircraft to safety in Saudi Arabia.
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pilots → cause → Arabia
Al Shamsi said the suspect had told investigators he had prepared psychologically and physically for the attack by viewing material promoting terrorism and taking boxing lessons.
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he → say → lessons
After the incident, the suspect was transferred to the UAE, flydubai's home country.
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suspect → transfer → UAE
Investigators examined flydubai's recruiting procedures and found the suspect had met all professional and security requirements, including holding a pilot's licence and providing a certificate of good conduct.
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suspect → examine → conduct
“However, none of the procedures revealed any indications of his extremist views or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot,” Al Shamsi added.
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Shamsi → reveal → plot
He said the co-pilot had worked for airlines in different countries including Oman Air before joining flydubai in January 2026.
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pilot → say → January
The investigation found there were signs of the suspect drifting towards “extremism and terrorism” as early as 2017.
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suspect → find → 2017
Police have also said the man was in New Zealand between November 2018 and May 2019 on a six-month student visa to complete a portion of his flight training for a UK-based company.
uncertain
man → say → company
Royal Air Maroc has said that he underwent three months of training there in 2025, but that his application to work for the airline afterwards was rejected.
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application → say → airline
UAE officials have not identified the suspect; however, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters he had been identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national.
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he → identify → Hammami
Saudi Arabia has launched a separate safety investigation into flight FZ1073, sources told Reuters.
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sources → launch → Reuters
US president Donald Trump, asked on Monday if he thinks Iran was responsible for the flydubai plane incident, said he personally does.
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he → ask → incident
The incident has heightened security fears in Israel weeks before Israelis vote in the first election since the Hamas-led October 7 attack, with security a defining issue.
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security → heighten → attack
Witnesses on board the plane at the time told Israeli media that one pilot was stabbed by another, before passengers near the front of the plane helped force the attacker out of the cockpit and subdued him.
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passengers → tell → him
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said previously that the co-pilot of the plane had tried to deliberately crash the aircraft after stabbing the pilot, but that passengers held him down while other pilots landed the plane.
Describing the event as “a highly severe security incident”, Netanyahu said Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot.
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authorities → say → pilot
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