Dubai. New revelations have come to light regarding the Omani co-pilot accused in the case of attack on Indian Captain Smit Machar (Dubai to Israel) in the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073 going from Dubai to Israel. According to the report of ABC News, the accused had also come under question while working in Oman Air. In the year 2024, while being a trainee co-pilot, documents related to radical and jihadi activities were allegedly found in his possession. After this, he was removed from flying responsibilities and put to administrative work.
Now the investigating agencies are trying to find out how the person who was under question earlier became a co-pilot in Flydubai. Besides, the circumstances under which he was given responsibility on the flight to Israel are also being investigated. According to reports, the accused has been handed over to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for further investigation after treatment in Saudi Arabia.
It is reported that the co-pilot had previously expressed views in support of the Palestinians and against Israel on several occasions. However, these claims and his alleged motive behind the attack are yet to be confirmed by the findings of the investigation.
UAE President's advisor praised the Indian pilot
After the incident, Anwar Gargash, advisor to UAE President Mohammed Bin Zayed, praised the bravery of Indian Captain Smit Machar on the social media platform 'X'. He said Smit's presence of mind and courage helped avert a potentially major tragedy.
The incident took place on flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday. It is alleged that the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machar in the cockpit, injuring him. Describing the incident as very serious, Gargash said that the Captain showed responsibility and professional efficiency at the time of crisis. He described the pilot's behavior as commendable.
If any country's role is found in the incident, action will be taken: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday that if any country's role behind the Flydubai incident comes to light, it will have to pay a heavy price. However, he did not present any evidence in support of any country's involvement in his statement.
According to Netanyahu, the picture of the incident is becoming clearer as the investigation progresses. He claimed that the attacker was influenced by fundamentalist ideology and intended to crash the plane along with the passengers on board. These allegations remain to be independently confirmed by the final findings of the investigation.
Initial investigation points to co-pilot's attack
According to Al Jazeera report, Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said that the initial investigation into the case related to the emergency landing of flydubai flight revealed that the co-pilot had attacked the captain. Both suffered injuries in the incident. The UAE security team also cooperated in the initial investigation.
The report also said that there was no reaction from Turkey and Pakistan on this incident. The matter is being considered a serious matter related to aviation security.
Israeli officials will also interrogate
Israeli officials will also be involved in the investigation of the case. They will coordinate with UAE authorities to investigate the sequence of events and the alleged motive of the suspect. The investigation is being carried forward after the accused co-pilot has been sent to UAE.
At present, the main objective of the investigation is to find out the circumstances under which the attack in the cockpit took place, how much truth is there in the claims related to the background of the accused and whether any other person or organization had a role in this incident.