Israeli officials to question co-pilot of flydubai flight, source says

Israeli officials are set to question the co-pilot of a flydubai flight which narrowly avoided a crash on Wednesday, according to sources familiar with the investigation. The incident occurred on flydubai flight FZ1073, which was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers and crew on board. During the flight, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain in an apparent attempt to crash the plane.

Passengers and crew managed to subdue the co-pilot, and the aircraft was safely landed at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was detained by Saudi authorities. The co-pilot was subsequently transferred to the UAE, where Israeli officials are expected to interrogate him. The UAE foreign ministry has not yet commented on whether Israeli officials will participate in the investigation.

The UAE state news agency reported that Emirati authorities had initiated an investigation to determine the circumstances and motives behind the incident, including whether it was linked to terrorism or prior planning. Flydubai's CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, stated on Friday that an official investigation was underway, supported by the airline, following what he described as a "safety incident" in the cockpit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed concern that the co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, may have been radicalized and acted out of suicide, though a motive had not yet been established. Netanyahu has warned that those involved would face severe consequences. The co-pilot's background and identity have not been publicly disclosed, except for his nationality and the fact that he underwent Islamist indoctrination.

The captain, an Indian national, has been hailed as a hero by Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident has heightened security concerns in Israel ahead of the upcoming October 27 general election, with security being a key issue in the campaign.