Australia investigates Flydubai co-pilot links as probe widens after in-flight attack

Australian authorities are investigating the links to the country of a Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia after passengers managed to overpower the co-pilot and regain control of the plane. The UAE prosecutor is also investigating the incident and any possible motives.

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The Australian Federal Police said it is examining the man's links to Australia, with state police and the country's security agency involved. Sources familiar with the case have said the co-pilot was issued a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017 before leaving the country. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that the visa was cancelled in 2019 because he was no longer enrolled in a course, making him ineligible for it.

The flight was carrying more than 170 passengers to Israel and was about two and a half hours into the journey when the alleged attack took place, according to the UAE prosecutor general. The pilot, Capt Smit Machchhar, was injured and later taken to hospital before being airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where he is reported to be in a stable condition. The co-pilot was arrested after the emergency landing, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the man was an Omani national.

The case has drawn attention because it combines an in-flight security breach with a cross-border investigation involving the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Saudi Arabia. It also raises questions about how the suspect came to be on the route and whether any radicalisation or other motive may have been involved. The investigation is taking place against the backdrop of heightened sensitivity around aviation security on regional routes to Israel.

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What remains unclear is the full motive, the extent of any planning, and what investigators will conclude about the man's background and contacts. The Australian Federal Police said an update would be provided at the appropriate time. The UAE inquiry is continuing, and further details may emerge as authorities compare evidence across jurisdictions.

Israel and the United Arab Emirates are investigating a Flydubai copilot accused of trying to bring down flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the incident, and the suspect was detained. According to the supplied report, the man was later taken to the UAE, where the lead investigation is being handled.

Israeli authorities are expected to take part in the questioning, while the UAE is leading the inquiry into what happened on board. A source cited in the report said the suspect, who is being held, told investigators that he acted alone. An Israeli government official also confirmed that Israeli investigators would join the process to determine the circumstances, motives and background of the suspect.

The report says the confrontation took place when the aircraft was close to Israeli airspace. It states that the copilot attacked the pilot, who responded, leaving the aircraft temporarily out of control. The plane then dropped about 4,300 metres in roughly 30 seconds, according to flight-tracking data cited in the report, before passengers and crew managed to restrain the copilot.

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The case has immediate aviation-security and diplomatic significance because it involves a commercial route between two regional hubs and has drawn in authorities from three countries. The report says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the case as an attempted jihadist terror attack and ordered Israeli airspace to be placed on alert. He also announced the suspension of all Flydubai flights bound for Israel, underscoring the wider operational impact.

The suspect is described in the report as an Omani national, and the Israeli television report cited there said intelligence officials had been told he was not acting on behalf of any group or state. The report also says he gave testimony to Saudi authorities after the emergency landing and was detained there. Those details suggest the investigation is now moving across several jurisdictions, with each country handling part of the response.

What remains unclear is the motive, the full sequence of events in the cockpit, and whether any wider security network was involved. The report does not say when the interrogation will conclude or whether further charges will follow. The next developments to watch are the findings of the UAE-led investigation, the participation of Israeli investigators, and any further decisions on flight operations and airspace security.

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