Reuters reveals Flydubai co-pilot's plans after plane hijacking
Photo: A Flydubai aircraft (x.com/flydubai)
A Flydubai co-pilot who attempted to hijack a passenger plane last week had planned to crash it at an airport in Israel, according to Reuters.
During questioning by investigators in the UAE, the pilot admitted that he intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, the man had conceived this plan even before he was hired by Flydubai. He deliberately sought employment with airlines that operate regular flights to Israel.
It turned out that earlier this year, the pilot had already flown a flight to Tel Aviv and had planned to hijack and crash the plane on that occasion as well. However, he abandoned his plan at the last moment.
Reuters reports that the exact reason for the change of heart is currently unknown, but among the passengers on that flight was a person with whom the perpetrator was personally acquainted.
Background
On September 30, a Flydubai plane flying from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv initially transmitted code 7770, which signals an emergency. The crew subsequently activated code 7500, which is used in the event of a hijacking or unauthorized interference with the aircraft's operation.
Following this, the Israeli Air Force scrambled fighter jets to escort the plane, and the flight was diverted to Saudi Arabia. The plane landed in the city of Tabuk.
One of the pilots of the Flydubai passenger plane turned out to be an Omani citizen who attempted to cause a plane crash.
Later, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the events on board as a terrorist act. The tragedy was averted thanks to passengers who stormed the cockpit and subdued the terrorist.
In addition, Flydubai announced the suspension of all flights to and from Israel. This measure has been taken pending an investigation into an attempt by one of the pilots to crash the plane with Israeli passengers on board.
