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Initial findings in the Flydubai investigation

Investigations are continuing into the attempted attack on Flydubai's FZ1073 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying early findings indicate the attacker may have been exposed to radical Islamist influence. Netanyahu stressed that it is still too early to reach a definitive conclusion, but said the available evidence strengthens the possibility that the attack was intended to bring down the plane.

The Israeli leader said the attacker was a citizen of Oman. Following the incident, authorities in the United Arab Emirates also opened an official review to determine whether the attempt had any terror connection.

What happened on board, and how did the plane land?

According to officials, the aircraft dropped suddenly by more than 17,000 feet about two hours after taking off from Dubai International Airport on Wednesday. The plane then declared an emergency, briefly entered Jordanian airspace, turned toward Saudi Arabia and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in the kingdom's northwest.

There were more than 170 passengers on board. The attacker was reportedly subdued by passengers and cabin crew before being restrained.

The pilot's condition and a key name

The injured pilot was identified as Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar. Both Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the pilot. India's ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, visited Machchhar in hospital, and officials said his condition is good and he is recovering.

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said the pilot and co-pilot were sent back to the UAE on Thursday morning after medical checks were completed.

Regional investigations and impact on flights

UAE officials said they have jurisdiction over the case because the aircraft involved was registered in the country. In Israel, a separate security investigation was launched; an Israeli security source speaking to BBC Arabic said initial findings suggest the suspect intended to bring the plane down. The source said passenger statements were also taken from those who arrived in Tel Aviv as part of the investigation.

Netanyahu also said pilots from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel are normally not allowed to operate on this route, but a security gap emerged in this case. Oman does not maintain official ties with Israel, while the UAE does have diplomatic relations with Israel.

  • Flydubai suspended Dubai-Tel Aviv flights until its internal review is complete.
  • Israel's Transport Ministry said the decision was in line with Netanyahu's instructions.
  • El Al, Israir and Arkia scheduled evacuation flights from Friday for passengers left in Dubai.
  • The ministry asked Etihad to increase the number of flights on the Abu Dhabi-Tel Aviv route.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump and some UAE officials said they were examining whether Iran had any role in the incident. However, no formal accusation has been made against Tehran at this stage.

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