One of the pilots on Flydubai plane was Omani, 'Israeli' officials say
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An Omani national was serving as the co-pilot on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 when a violent incident occurred aboard the aircraft Wednesday, according to two ‘Israeli’ officials who spoke to CNN.
One of the officials alleged that the Omani co-pilot was the person who attacked the other pilot during the incident. The other pilot was Emirati, according to the officials.
The flight, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Flydubai said the aircraft experienced an "incident" during the flight and confirmed that all passengers were safe and accounted for. The airline said it was cooperating with the relevant authorities and would provide further updates as confirmed information becomes available.
The incident reportedly involved a physical confrontation between the pilots. The aircraft transmitted emergency signals during the incident, including one indicating possible unlawful interference.
The plane also experienced a sharp descent before stabilizing and diverting to Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were reportedly taken to hospital following the incident.
Oman and ‘Israel’ do not have formal diplomatic relations. It remains unclear how the Omani pilot obtained clearance to operate a flight to ‘Israel’.
The circumstances surrounding the confrontation, including the alleged motive and the sequence of events inside the cockpit, remain under investigation.
