A mid-air struggle aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel has now pulled in the highest levels of international politics, with US President Donald Trump warning Iran would be “hit very hard” if it is found to have had any link to the attack.
The episode unfolded a day earlier on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, when passengers helped prevent the aircraft from crashing and it was forced to divert for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The flight’s mostly Israeli passengers later returned home to what was described as a hero’s welcome.
As authorities in the United Arab Emirates launched an investigation into whether terrorism played a role, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Mr Trump was asked directly whether Iran was involved. “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes but we’re working on it right now,” he said.
Donald Trump’s threat coincided with a wider US military buildup in the region
Pressed on whether the United States would retaliate if Iran was deemed responsible, Mr Trump replied: “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry.”
His comments came as Washington bolstered its military posture in the region.
Axios reported that the US had recently sent additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, aimed at helping shield key energy facilities from possible Iranian retaliation.
The outlet also said the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and its strike group were heading to the Middle East, potentially joining two other US carrier strike groups already operating in the region.
While questions swirled about motive, officials in the UAE and Saudi Arabia began reconstructing what happened inside the cabin and cockpit.
Saudi Arabia said the co-pilot had been transferred to the UAE on Monday under escort from an “Emirati security team”, and that preliminary findings indicated he attacked the aircraft’s captain.
The alleged assault set off a fight for control of the aircraft before the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers were later flown on to Israel on a replacement flight.
The plane was heading to Tel Aviv from Dubai and was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia
‘Radical indoctrination’
“We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination,” Mr Netanyahu said in an appearance on the “Fox & Friends” TV show, offering no further detail.
He said the assailant shouted at crew members, “Kill me, kill me,” adding that it was “clear he was suicidal”.
Mr Netanyahu’s remarks followed a statement from the UAE’s chief prosecutor that investigators would examine whether there had been “terrorist activity or intent”.
He said the UAE would lead the inquiry and that Israel would take part.
Identifying the co-pilot as an Omani national, Mr Netanyahu said Israel would review how he had been cleared to operate flights to the country.
“We have constraints that say that you can’t have pilots from countries that don’t have diplomatic relations with Israel. Obviously he was able to go through that,” he told Fox News.
Earlier, Mr Netanyahu credited the captain, Smit Machchhar — an Indian national — along with passengers, with preventing disaster after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed him and attempted to crash the plane.
Passengers recounted rushing toward the cockpit and battling for control after the aircraft suddenly plunged, dropping about 17,000 feet in roughly a minute, according to the Flightradar24 website.
Israeli officials have described the episode as “an attempted terrorist attack”, though Mr Netanyahu said in an earlier interview with CBS News that he could not rule out mental health as a factor.
“During the flight, as they approached the country, one of the pilots stabbed the other pilot, and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board,” Mr Netanyahu said in a video message.
Pilot Smit Machchhar was hailed a ‘hero’
‘Heroes’
Mr Netanyahu later applauded Mr Machchhar “for his extraordinary bravery”.
The Indian ambassador to the UAE visited the wounded captain, and the embassy said he was in “good health and recovering well”.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him a “HERO”, saying his actions helped save lives.
Passenger Miryam Shira Ohayon said the aircraft was “pretty much out of control” as the confrontation unfolded over Jordan.
“The co-pilot tried to murder the pilot and basically carry out a suicide attack on the plane,” she told reporters.
What happened on board the rerouted flydubai plane?
“It was really on the way to crashing, and it was simply the resourcefulness of many people who took control of the co-pilot and neutralised him.”
Flydubai said another “on-duty flydubai crew traveling on the flight… landed the aircraft safely” and said it was suspending flights to Israel while the investigation continued.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he would honour five Israelis who helped overpower the co-pilot and stop the plane from crashing.
