Trump Says Flydubai Co-Pilot Was ‘Perhaps a Terrorist’ After Mid-Air Attack
WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES — WEB DESK: US President Donald Trump has said the co-pilot involved in the violent cockpit incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was “perhaps a terrorist,” while acknowledging that key details surrounding the extraordinary mid-air emergency remain unverified.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump said he had discussed the incident extensively with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump described the co-pilot as “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack-job” while recounting an account in which the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the aircraft’s captain before attempting to take control of the plane.
The president stressed that some details had been relayed to him by Netanyahu and others and that he could not independently confirm the entire account.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when a violent confrontation erupted inside the cockpit.
Israeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed the captain, identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, before the aircraft entered a rapid descent.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the emergency.
Despite being wounded, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and overpower the co-pilot.
Trump also recounted an account in which an Israeli passenger described as a plumber played an important role in helping stop the alleged attacker. Other pilots travelling aboard the aircraft subsequently helped regain control.
The aircraft was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 174 people aboard surviving the incident.
The suspected attacker was taken into Saudi custody, while the captain received medical treatment.
The motive behind the attack has not yet been officially established. Flydubai has urged against speculation while authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the cockpit incident.
The airline has also suspended flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues.
Saudi aviation authorities are examining the incident, including the sequence of events inside the cockpit and the security circumstances that led to the emergency.
