Co-pilot on Flydubai flight was banned from flying by Oman

A replacement Flydubai aircraft landed in Tel Aviv, carrying passengers from the flight on which a pilot stabbed another [Photo: September 30, 2026]Image: Gil Cohen-Magen/dpa/picture allianceAdvertisementThe co-pilot who stabbed his captain duringFlydubai Flight 1073 had reportedly been barred from flying by Oman over concerns that he had adopted radical ideological views.

The news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Friday.

The attack that took place on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has raised many questions about how the incident unfolded as well as about background checks in aviation hiring.

There were 182 people on board, including four pilots.

After the co-pilot stabbed the captain in an apparent attempt to crash the plane, two other pilots in the cabin took control and landed the aircraft safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The Wall Street Journal report said the co-pilot was hired by Flydubai despite the ban by Oman, allowing him to fly the jet on a sensitive route connecting the UAE and Israel.

Israel and the UAE, which includes Dubai, signed the Abraham Accords normalizing relations in 2020.

The paper said it could not be determined whether Oman shared concerns about the pilot's radicalization with other countries or airlines. 

The nature of his radicalization was also not clear.

US broadcaster CNN cited two sources saying the co-pilot was removed from a job at Oman's national airline last year over concerns about extremist views.

Al Arabiya, also citing an informed source, reported that Omani authorities determined that the co-pilot held extremist views.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday in a video statement that they know the co-pilot "underwent Islamist radical indoctrination" and intended to crash the jet.

Netanyahu also said they were also looking into whether the co-pilot had acted under anyone's direction, warning that whoever was involved would pay a "heavy price."

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