The co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a “terrorist” attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM.
The co-pilot attacked the captain inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the Israel-bound aircraft, the prosecutor general said.
The circumstances of the incident, the motives and any related connections are being investigated, he said.
The co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain of the Flydubai flight has been named as an Omani national Hamam al-Hammami.
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The co-pilot, who officials said nearly crashed the sharply plummeting flight with 182 people aboard, was barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said.
The co-pilot was then hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline Flydubai, the source said.
It is not clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired. Oman’s barring of him was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
How the co-pilot managed to be working in the cockpit on Wednesday morning is a central question for investigators.
[ ‘No one is passing through this door’: Inside the Flydubai cockpit fightOpens in new window ]
Israel says has it has long-standing agreements with foreign carriers to keep pilots from flying into the country if they are citizens of nations that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
Israel and Oman do not have formal diplomatic relations.
There was no immediate comment from Flydubai, the UAE government or Oman Air. Oman’s government has said nothing publicly in response to questions since the incident.
[ Flydubai captain describes cockpit attackOpens in new window ]
The captain, who was badly injured, has said he used his remaining energy while being stabbed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing people who had noticed unusual sounds to come in, tackle the co-pilot and stabilise the plane. It made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The captain and co-pilot were later taken to the UAE as it leads the investigation. Officials have said a number of countries, including Israel, are participating. – Reuters, PA, Bloomberg
