FlyDubai Suspends Tel Aviv Flights After Midair Attack on FZ 1073

FlyDubai has suspended its Tel Aviv service until further notice after a midair attack on flight FZ 1073, which was flying from the United Arab Emirates to Israel with more than 170 passengers on board. The Boeing 737 made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Saudi Arabia, where a preliminary investigation confirmed an altercation in the cockpit.

Key facts

• Flight affected: FlyDubai flight FZ 1073, scheduled to land in Tel Aviv
• Route change: FlyDubai has suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice
• Emergency landing: Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport, Saudi Arabia
• Passengers on board: more than 170
• Pilots' location: both departed Saudi Arabia for Abu Dhabi on Thursday with a UAE security team

What happened on board?

Saudi Arabia's preliminary investigation confirmed that the co-pilot assaulted the captain in the cockpit. Both crew members were injured during the struggle. Social media videos showed the bloodied crew members in the aftermath of what has been called an attack using an ax.

Passengers helped subdue the attacker. FlyDubai Chief Executive Officer Ghaith Al Ghaith thanked those who intervened and said the airline supports the ongoing investigation.

What are investigators looking at?

The pilots were moved from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi on Thursday after medical clearance, accompanied by a UAE security team, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Investigators are seeking additional information from the plane's voice and data recorders to reconstruct the final hour of the flight.

The status of the so-called black boxes has not been announced. Some recorders use a continuous loop that can overwrite existing data, meaning the crucial moments in the cockpit could have been erased.

The initial inquiry was carried out in Saudi Arabia in coordination with a UAE security team. Under the Chicago convention signed in 1944, the state where the incident occurred owns the investigation but may seek assistance from the states where the plane was made and registered. Invitations may be extended to both the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, since the plane was made by Boeing, and the UAE, since the aircraft was registered there.

Who was involved?

India's government identified the pilot as Smit Machchhar, while Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot is an Omani national. Neither the airline nor the UAE government has confirmed that information.

Netanyahu said the attacker had undergone Islamist radicalization and came to crash the plane with all passengers on board. The Israeli government is investigating whether the attacker was acting at the behest of others.

Anwar Gargash, a senior foreign-policy adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, called the incident a dangerous terrorist act and urged vigilance against extremism and terrorism.

Why does the co-pilot's nationality matter?

Oman and Israel do not have formal diplomatic ties, which restricts their citizens' access to each other's countries. That means an Omani crew member should not be flying a plane destined for Israel. Israel Transportation Minister Miriam Regev called it a clear breach of the agreement and asked the security agency Shin Bet to investigate.

What this means for travellers

Travellers booked on FlyDubai services to Tel Aviv should be aware that the airline has suspended those operations until further notice. No date for resumption has been announced.

The investigation is ongoing, and further details about the flight recorders and the crew members have not yet been released.