DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 1 (Nationwide Times) — The United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor general ordered an investigation into a cockpit incident aboard a flydubai flight to Israel, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said authorities would seek to determine why the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Sept. 30 when it diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, the airline and the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said.
Netanyahu said the co-pilot stabbed the captain and apparently tried to crash the aircraft. Israeli officials said passengers and crew overpowered the co-pilot, and two other flydubai pilots aboard landed the plane. Flydubai described an altercation on the flight deck and said its crew secured the aircraft.
Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot and were questioning him, Netanyahu said. No charge or court proceeding has been identified. The captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, was in stable condition, according to the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia.
The UAE state news agency said the prosecutor general’s investigation would examine whether the incident was linked to terrorist activity. Flydubai said the reasons for the incident were unknown and cautioned against speculation.
“We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices, whether Iran was behind it,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Asked whether Iran was involved, he said it was too early to say. Netanyahu also said Israel might participate in the investigation; its role has not been established.
Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel during the investigation. Israeli officials said the passengers reached Israel safely.
