Attacker's identity, motive unclear after FlyDubai flight makes emergency landing

The identity and motive of an Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain of a FlyDubai flight remained unclear today (1 October) as investigators worked to determine what caused the incident that sent the plane into a steep descent and forced it to land in Saudi Arabia.

The Boeing 737 was carrying 174 people from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. Israeli passengers said the injured Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing them to enter and restrain the co-pilot. The plane reportedly descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute.

Passenger Asaf Rajuan said the situation left them feeling helpless but that they acted instinctively to survive.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had been arrested. Video recorded inside the plane by dentist Shota Musayev, who treated the captain, showed the suspect on his knees with his hands tied behind his back.

Saudi and UAE authorities have provided few details, saying investigations are underway. Saudi Arabia's lack of diplomatic relations with Israel could complicate cooperation between the countries.

Capt. Smit Machchhar, who has been praised for his actions during the incident, was in stable condition, according to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. The condition of the co-pilot was not immediately known.

Netanyahu said the suspect was an Omani national and was being questioned in Saudi Arabia. He said it was too early to determine whether Iran had any involvement and that Israel had received no specific warning about the incident.

US President Donald Trump said he discussed the incident with Netanyahu and suggested the co-pilot could have been a terrorist, though no motive had been established.

Netanyahu said the UAE president, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, agreed that Israeli investigators could participate in questioning the suspect.

Israel's Foreign Ministry said passengers included citizens of Israel, India and the UAE, while the US State Department said four passengers were American citizens.

FlyDubai said it would suspend flights to and from Israel.

The flight had left Dubai about two and a half hours earlier when it suddenly descended before making an erratic turn near the Jordanian border. It eventually landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, about an hour later, according to Flightradar24.

Philip Kean, head of the New Zealand flight school where Machchhar trained, described the safe landing as "miraculous", saying the aircraft was not designed to withstand such a steep descent.

A person who heard the plane's communication with air traffic controllers said the aircraft was initially turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before being allowed to land in Tabuk. The person said the pilot issued a "mayday" call and reported a hijacking, while passengers could be heard screaming in the background.

The person spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to discuss the communications publicly.