Flydubai Co-Pilot Reportedly Had Been Flagged Before Stabbing Captain

A Flydubai co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the captain of an Israel-bound passenger jet had previously been barred from flying in Oman over security concerns, according to reports by The Wall Street Journal and Deutsche Welle.

Flydubai Flight 1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 182 people aboard when the captain was stabbed and the aircraft began descending. Two other pilots who were traveling in the cabin took control, and the plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Israel scrambled fighter jets during the incident, while passengers and crew reportedly helped subdue the co-pilot.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Flydubai hired the co-pilot despite Oman's ban, although it was unclear whether Omani authorities had shared their concerns with other governments or airlines. CNN, citing two sources, reported that he had been removed from a job at Oman’s national airline in 2025 because of concerns about extremist views. Al Arabiya separately reported that Omani authorities believed he held extremist views.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radicalization and intended to crash the aircraft. Authorities were investigating whether he acted under another party’s direction.

False reports also circulated after the incident. France 24 said an AI-generated video made to resemble a BBC broadcast falsely implicated an Indian passenger and linked him to the stabbed captain. The BBC did not air the report, and its footage and audio had been manipulated.