Flydubai’s Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after an altercation in the cockpit left the captain injured and the aircraft safely on the ground. US media, cited by German outlets, now report that the co-pilot had previously been suspended by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk, adding a new aviation-security dimension to an already active criminal investigation.
The incident has sharpened scrutiny of cockpit access, crew vetting and how a flagged employee could later work for another carrier. UAE authorities have described the event as a planned terror act and investigators in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Oman and the United States are examining the circumstances surrounding the attack and the suspect’s background.
Earlier reports established that passengers and crew intervened to subdue the co-pilot before the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, where the flight was handled by local authorities. The case has become a test of airline security procedures because the threat emerged from inside the flight deck rather than through external airport screening.
Flydubai has also faced questions over operational oversight as the investigation looks into the suspect’s previous employment history and the route by which he entered the carrier’s cockpit. The motive has not been confirmed, and the reported Oman Air suspension remains an allegation carried through media reporting rather than an official public statement from either airline.