What We're Learning About the FlyDubai Co-Pilot Who Allegedly Stabbed the Captain and Tried to Crash the Plane
Updated on: October 1, 2026 / 7:41 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- A FlyDubai co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to crash the plane during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- Passengers and crew members overpowered the co-pilot, allowing for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- No passengers were seriously injured, but the captain sustained stab wounds.
- The co-pilot, who is reportedly of Omani citizenship, has not been publicly identified.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speculated the incident may have been a suicide attempt and suggested the co-pilot underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.
- US President Donald Trump suggested a potential link to Iran, while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called it an 'attempted jihadist terror attack'.
- Authorities are investigating the possibility of a Sept. 11-style attack and whether the attacker acted alone.
- The co-pilot is in custody in Saudi Arabia and is being questioned, with UAE authorities expected to take custody.