Flydubai co-pilot planned suicide attack in Tel Aviv airport inspired by 9/11

Published on 09/10/2026 - 20:29 GMT+2

The co-pilot who attacked the captain of a flydubai jet on 30 September had planned to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv's international airport, according to the United Arab Emirates' top prosecutor.

The Omani co-pilot was inspired by Al-Qaeda's September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States and intended to cause "the greatest possible loss of life", according to the prosecutor's findings published by state media.

"The findings showed that he had met the professional and security requirements for employment, including holding a pilot's licence, providing a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks."

Passengers described storming the cockpit and struggling to regain control after the aircraft suddenly dropped around 5,000 metres.

The plane's Indian captain was injured when the co-pilot attacked him with an axe, but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker. The aircraft then made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Most passengers on board were Israeli.

On Thursday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog awarded the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism to six Israelis who helped foil the recent attempted flydubai hijacking.

“The civilian bravery and resourcefulness demonstrated by the heroes present here cannot overshadow the obligation to obtain full answers. Everyone, all of us, deserves clear and satisfactory answers,” he said as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passengers and the pilot for their bravery in thwarting the attack and ordered a "thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to Israel".