UAE Says Flydubai Co-Pilot Attempted ‘Terrorist Act’ on Israel-Bound Flight

UAE — The United Arab Emirates Attorney General has said the co-pilot of an Israel-bound Flydubai flight attempted to carry out a “terrorist act” by attacking the captain and trying to take control of the aircraft.

The UAE official news agency, WAM, reported on Saturday that Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi disclosed the preliminary findings of an investigation into Wednesday’s incident.

According to Al Shamsi, the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the cockpit with an emergency axe before attempting to take control of the aircraft. “The co-pilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist act,” WAM quoted the attorney general as saying.

The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. The aircraft was later diverted.

Passengers Intervene During Incident

Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon told reporters that the aircraft appeared to be out of control during the confrontation, which occurred while the plane was flying over Jordan. “The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane,” she said.

Ohayon said passengers intervened and restrained the co-pilot.

She added that a doctor on board provided first aid to those injured. “There was also a doctor who gave first aid, and people who treated both of them,” she said.

Ohayon said passengers feared the aircraft could crash during the confrontation.

Flight Diverted to Saudi Arabia

Her mother, Yasmin Abukasis, told AFP that her daughter was travelling to attend a service for her brother, who was killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

Abukasis said her daughter believed the passengers were going to die during the incident.

She also said another passenger who entered the cockpit saw a significant amount of blood.

According to Abukasis, two other pilots on board later took control of the aircraft and diverted it to Saudi Arabia.

The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.

About the Author

Mirian Gom

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Gom Mirian is a Nigerian journalist and editor at Africa Health Report (AHR), with more than a decade of experience covering health, development, humanitarian issues and public-interest affairs across Nigeria and Africa. She holds a Master’s degree in Economics and has additional training in data analytics, combining evidence-driven reporting with compelling human-centred storytelling. Her work examines the intersection of health, policy, economics, technology and social change, with a particular interest in how global decisions and emerging challenges affect communities across Africa. Her journalism has received professional recognition, including a Nestlé Award nomination for human-interest reporting. Follow her on X @mirian_linus.

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