Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised concerns about the screening process for pilots flying to Israel after an incident involving a flydubai flight. The Omani co-pilot of Flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, allegedly attacked the captain, leading to a temporary loss of control of the aircraft. Passengers intervened, restraining the co-pilot, while another pilot took over the flight, which had 174 passengers on board.
Netanyahu stated that the initial investigation suggested the co-pilot had undergone what he described as “Islamist radicalisation.” He noted the co-pilot made statements indicating a desire to die. The Israeli prime minister highlighted the incident as exposing potential weaknesses in the vetting procedures for pilots from countries lacking formal diplomatic ties with Israel. Historically, background checks have been conducted on pilots operating certain flights, but Netanyahu indicated that these procedures would be re-evaluated in light of the attack.
Furthermore, the investigation is exploring whether the co-pilot had any connections to Iran. Netanyahu cautioned that it was premature to draw any conclusions but anticipated that more information would be uncovered in the days following the incident.