The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced on Thursday that the Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation into a suspicious attempt to hijack and the potential crash of a Flydubai flight heading to Israel.
Incident Details
The state news agency WAM reported that "the investigative team has begun its work on this incident" and the aim of this investigation is to determine "the degree of connection of this incident to any terrorist activity or intent." The case also examines whether this incident was premeditated or an individual act.
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Reactions and Consequences
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the incident as a "failed jihadist terrorist attack." Passengers on the flight described rushing toward the cockpit to assist the pilot after he was attacked by the co-pilot, who then steered the plane toward a severe crash.
Aside from minor injuries among those who intervened in the cockpit, other passengers, mostly Israeli, were unharmed. Judicial authorities in the UAE are responsible for pursuing this incident, as the aircraft is registered in the UAE and operates under the flag of this country.
The plane was over northern Saudi Arabia for most of the security incident early in the morning, and tracking data indicates that it temporarily entered Jordan before returning for an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also raised the possibility of the UAE leading any investigation in a television interview. He said, "The attacking pilot... is currently under investigation in Saudi Arabia and I believe he will be returned to the UAE. We will follow this investigation and will likely participate in it."
The identity of the Omani co-pilot has not yet been made public, and his motive remains unclear. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that from a conversation with Netanyahu, he learned that the suspect "might be a terrorist or perhaps an unusual individual."
Israeli President Isaac Herzog intends to nominate four passengers who helped subdue the attacker for the Presidential Medal of Civilian Courage. Herzog said, "You put yourselves in danger to help others and prevented a major disaster."
Indian pilot Smith Machchar has also been praised by Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Passengers described him as having fought the attacker despite his injuries and managed to open the door for others to enter the cockpit.
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