Flydubai co-pilot planned to crash plane into Tel Aviv airport or building, reports say

What the report says

Reports cited by BBC World News say the co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv had planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion airport or a tower block in central Tel Aviv. The man, identified in multiple reports as an Omani national, is described in the coverage as a lone-wolf extremist. UAE officials have said the case involves an alleged terrorist act, and the airline, passengers and crew have been drawn into a wider debate over how he was cleared to fly.

According to the reports, the co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency axe in the cockpit before being restrained by passengers. Another crew member then landed the Boeing 737 MAX in Saudi Arabia, and a second Flydubai aircraft later transported the stranded passengers to Israel. Israeli reports quoted investigators as saying he intended to keep flying into Israeli airspace and seek landing clearance before carrying out the crash plan.

The article says authorities in the UAE are still investigating the motive and any possible links, while Israeli officials have asked for a review of aviation security procedures. It also notes questions over how Flydubai recruited the pilot, and whether earlier concerns raised by Oman Air about his extremist views were adequately considered. Australian authorities are also said to be examining possible links because he studied there between 2015 and 2017.