Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised concerns about the screening process for pilots following an incident on a flydubai flight. The co-pilot, who is from Oman, allegedly attacked the captain during the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was carrying 174 passengers. Netanyahu stated that preliminary investigations suggest the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radicalisation and made statements indicating he wished to die.
The flight, identified as FZ1073, lost significant altitude during the incident before the captain regained control with assistance from passengers and another pilot, who took over the aircraft. Netanyahu highlighted the potential procedural gaps in the vetting of pilots from nations that do not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Israel, emphasizing the need to review and possibly enhance current screening practices.
Authorities had previously conducted background checks on pilots for specific flights, but this incident has prompted a reevaluation of those procedures. Netanyahu also mentioned that investigators are looking into whether the co-pilot had any connections to Iran, although he cautioned that conclusions have yet to be drawn and more information is expected to be gathered in the coming days.