FlyDubai co-pilot allegedly planned suicide attack on Tel Aviv airport, UAE prosecutor says

A FlyDubai co-pilot from Oman allegedly planned to seize a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv passenger flight and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack, according to the United Arab Emirates attorney general. The case centres on flight 1073, which was carrying 182 people when it later made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a severe descent. Officials said the aircraft plunged sharply and suffered damage to part of its rudder.

Sponsored

The attorney general said the alleged plan was for the aircraft to be flown into a terminal at the Israeli airport on 30 September. Prosecutors said the suspect was inspired by the September 11 attacks in the United States and wanted to cause the maximum possible loss of life. Investigators also said he had used two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the route and the airport.

According to the state news agency, the co-pilot was stopped by the captain before the alleged plot could be carried out. The same flight then experienced the extreme descent that forced the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The incident has raised questions about how a passenger aircraft on a scheduled international route came to be placed in such danger.

The case is significant because it involves an alleged attempt to turn a commercial flight into a weapon against a major airport. Ben Gurion Airport is Israel's main international gateway, and any attack there would have had serious civilian and regional consequences. The allegations also highlight the continuing security risks faced by airlines operating routes linked to politically sensitive destinations.

Sponsored

The attorney general said the suspect had previously worked for several airlines in different countries, including Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, before joining FlyDubai in January 2026. That background is likely to be examined closely as investigators assess how the alleged plan was formed and whether any warning signs were missed. The reported use of earlier Tel Aviv flights to study the route suggests planning over time rather than a spontaneous act.

What remains unclear is how far the alleged plot progressed before it was interrupted, and what charges or legal steps will follow. It is also not yet clear whether the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia and the alleged attack plan will be treated as part of the same criminal case. Further official detail is expected as prosecutors and investigators continue their work.

#FlyDubai #BenGurionAirport #aviationsecurity #suicideattack #UAEprosecutor