Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe in attempted ‘terrorist attack’, UAE says
Summary
The UAE says a flydubai co-pilot attempted a terrorist attack with an axe during a flight bound for Israel, but passengers and crew subdued him before the plane could be crashed. The aircraft diverted to Saudi Arabia, and investigators in the UAE are continuing to probe the incident.
Key Points
- The UAE prosecutor general said the co-pilot on flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted a terrorist attack using a crash axe in the cockpit.
- Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, and a reserve pilot landed the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- The suspect was detained in Saudi Arabia and later transferred to Abu Dhabi as investigators continued their probe.
- Israeli and Emirati officials say the incident may have been aimed at crashing the plane carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, most of them Israeli nationals.
