‘Prayed excessively, refused to shake hands with women’: What we know about Flydubai’s Omani co-pilot

PTC Web Desk: An Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and allegedly attempting to bring down Flydubai Flight FZ1073 is under investigation after the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight was carrying more than 170 passengers when the incident was reported inside the cockpit. According to reports, Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot as the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia. The plane subsequently lost a significant amount of altitude before passengers and other crew members intervened and helped regain control of the aircraft.

Machchhar, who suffered serious injuries, reportedly managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to enter and overpower the attacker. The aircraft was then diverted to Tabuk, where the injured crew members were taken to hospital. Machchhar has since been reported to be in stable condition.

A fellow pilot has reportedly described the Omani co-pilot as a “religious extremist”, claiming that he prayed frequently and refused to shake hands with women. Investigators are expected to examine the co-pilot's background, conduct and possible motive before reaching any conclusions.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has described the incident as an “attempted jihadist terrorist attack.” Israeli authorities are also investigating the possibility that the incident was connected to terrorism. Ynet has reported that Israeli security and intelligence agencies, including Mossad and Shin Bet, are involved in the investigation. However, Flydubai has urged against premature conclusions, saying the reasons and motives remain unknown pending a formal investigation.

The Omani national accused in the attack has not been publicly identified. An Omani official confirmed to CBS News that the suspect wa

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Saudi Arabia is conducting the initial investigation because the aircraft landed in Tabuk. According to Israeli reports, the suspect is expected to be transferred to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for further questioning. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would remain involved in efforts to establish exactly what happened.

The UAE has also opened its own investigation into the incident, including whether the attack was planned in advance and whether it had any connection to terrorism. Israeli authorities have separately examined possible security implications, while reports say there is currently no established evidence linking the incident to Iran.

The exact motive remains unclear. Investigators in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel are expected to establish the sequence of events, the suspect's intentions and whether anyone else was involved.