Netanyahu Vows Probe Into Foiled Flydubai Crash Attempt

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel intends to determine the full circumstances surrounding an alleged attempt by a co-pilot to crash a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, including whether the incident involved accomplices or possible Iranian involvement.

Speaking Wednesday during an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Netanyahu said authorities would investigate the background and potential connections of the co-pilot involved in the incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073.

“We’ll get to the root of this attacker, whether he had accomplices, whether Iran was behind it,” Netanyahu said, adding that he expected more information to emerge soon.

Israeli officials have said the motive remains under investigation. Asked specifically whether there was evidence linking Iran to the incident, Netanyahu cautioned that it was too early to reach a conclusion.

The prime minister said the co-pilot was being investigated in Saudi Arabia and could later be transferred to the United Arab Emirates. Israel would closely follow the investigation and could potentially participate in it, he added.

The flydubai flight was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident unfolded. According to Israeli officials, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the pilot and caused the aircraft to plunge nearly 14,000 feet, or 4,267 meters, in less than 30 seconds.

Passengers and crew members then reportedly entered the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot. Two additional flydubai pilots who were traveling aboard the aircraft subsequently took control and safely landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Passengers ultimately reached Israel safely on Wednesday following the emergency.

Flydubai has said the reasons behind the incident remain unknown and urged against drawing conclusions before investigators establish the facts.

The investigation is expected to focus on the co-pilot’s motive, whether anyone else was involved and the circumstances leading up to the attempted crash. Netanyahu’s comments indicate Israeli authorities are also examining the possibility of a broader security connection, although no evidence of Iranian involvement has been publicly established.