FlyDubai co-pilot grounded by Oman Air before mid-flight stabbing

The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a passenger jet mid-flight and nearly causing a catastrophic crash was grounded by Oman Air in 2024 after the airline discovered he had been visiting radical Islamic websites, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Authorities believe the co-pilot moved to Dubai later that same year, according to the source, who also told Fox News the co-pilot spent a significant part of his life outside Oman, including with his mother, who is from Syria.

According to the source, FlyDubai did not check with Oman Air about the co-pilot before hiring him.

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A FlyDubai aircraft carrying Israelis who experienced an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia is seen parked at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (Ariel Schalit/AP)

The new details come as The Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing people familiar with the matter, that the Omani national had previously been banned from flying over concerns he had adopted radical ideological views before later being hired by FlyDubai. The newspaper reported it was unclear whether Omani officials shared those concerns with other countries or airlines.

Fox News has not independently verified the reason the co-pilot was grounded by Oman Air.

The alleged attack unfolded Wednesday aboard FlyDubai Flight 1073 as the aircraft traveled from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

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A plane takes off as a flydubai aircraft sits on the tarmac at Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026.

According to passengers and officials, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit, sending the aircraft into a steep dive that nearly tore it apart before two reserve pilots aboard the flight regained control and safely diverted the aircraft to Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew members then helped overpower the suspect, according to accounts of the incident.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described the incident as terrorism, saying the attacker had undergone “Islamic radicalization.”

“He came to crash the passengers on board,” Netanyahu said, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who allegedly was attacked on a FlyDubai plane heading to Israel on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (Israel Foreign Ministry)

Netanyahu also said Israeli authorities are investigating whether the suspect acted alone or had assistance from others.

The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation into the incident. A UAE spokesperson declined to comment to the Journal on the suspect’s background, saying officials did not want to prejudice the outcome of the investigation or interfere with its course.

The incident has prompted renewed scrutiny of airline pilot vetting procedures and aviation security on flights serving Israel. Aviation security analysts told the Journal the episode represented a significant security failure and raised questions about how warning signs may have gone undetected before the co-pilot entered the cockpit.

FlyDubai has suspended flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv following the attack.

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FlyDubai did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.