FlyDubai co-pilot accused of mid-flight attack had previous grounding by Oman Air

<p>The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a passenger jet mid-flight was grounded by Oman Air in 2024 after the airline discovered he had been visiting radical Islamic websites, according to a source familiar with the matter.</p><p>Authorities believe the co-pilot moved to Dubai later that same year. The source also indicated that the co-pilot spent a significant part of his life outside Oman, including time with his mother, who is from Syria.</p><p>The source stated that FlyDubai did not check with Oman Air about the co-pilot before hiring him.</p><p>The Wall Street Journal reported that the Omani national had previously been banned from flying over concerns about adopting radical ideological views before being hired by FlyDubai. It remains unclear whether Omani officials shared these concerns with other countries or airlines.</p><p>Fox News has not independently verified the reason for the co-pilot's grounding by Oman Air.</p><p>The alleged attack occurred on Wednesday aboard FlyDubai Flight 1073 as the aircraft traveled from Dubai to Tel Aviv.</p><p>According to passengers and officials, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to enter a steep dive before two reserve pilots aboard regained control and safely diverted the aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew members assisted in overpowering the suspect.</p><p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the incident as terrorism, stating that the attacker had undergone "Islamic radicalization." He remarked, "He came to crash the passengers on board," according to the Wall Street Journal.</p><p>Netanyahu also mentioned that Israeli authorities are investigating whether the suspect acted alone or received assistance from others.</p><p>The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation into the incident. A UAE spokesperson declined to comment on the suspect's background, stating that officials did not want to prejudice the investigation's outcome.</p><p>The incident has raised concerns regarding airline pilot vetting procedures and aviation security on flights serving Israel. Aviation security analysts noted that the episode represented a significant security failure and raised questions about how warning signs may have gone undetected before the co-pilot entered the cockpit.</p><p>FlyDubai has suspended flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv following the attack.</p><p>FlyDubai did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p>