3 hrs ago
FlyDubai Attack Raises Questions Over Crew Screening and Security
A co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight attacked the captain and tried to take control of the plane.
The UAE called the incident a terrorist attack.
The plane had 182 people on board and was descending when the attack happened.
The captain managed to open the cockpit door.
Passengers and crew helped overpower the co-pilot.
Officials said Israel had received details about the people on the flight, but nobody was flagged as a concern.
Israeli officials disagree about who was meant to check the list and whether the Transportation Ministry received it.
Investigators are still trying to find out how the co-pilot got onto the flight and whether there were security failures.
The UAE said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and tried to take control of the descending aircraft.
The flight carried 182 people; the captain, passengers and other crew members overpowered the co-pilot.
Regional officials said the UAE shared passenger and crew details with Israel, but no one was flagged as a security concern.
Israel's Shin Bet and Transportation Minister Miri Regev gave differing accounts of who was responsible for screening and whether the ministry received the passenger list.
Investigators are examining possible security failures, the co-pilot's background and possible connections to Australia.
- Who
- An Omani FlyDubai co-pilot, the Indian captain, passengers and other crew members.
- What
- The co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft; passengers and crew helped overpower him.
- Where
- A FlyDubai flight carrying passengers to Tel Aviv.
- When
- The incident took place on Wednesday; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on Thursday, and Australian police said Sunday that they were investigating possible connections to Australia.
- Why
- The co-pilot's motive is not established; the incident has prompted questions about security screening and how he was permitted to fly.
Shin Bet and aviation security account
Transportation Minister's account
Who received and checked the passenger list?
Shin Bet and aviation security account
Shin Bet said responsibility for checking passenger lists from foreign flights lies with the Transportation Ministry. Aviation security official Dvir Rubenstien said the ministry does not independently screen every foreign-flight passenger and relies on local checks.
Transportation Minister's account
Transportation Minister Miri Regev said security agencies are responsible for flight security and claimed her ministry had not received the passenger list or been alerted to concerns.
Responsibility for security failures
Shin Bet and aviation security account
Opposition leader Yair Golan accused the transportation minister and prime minister of abandoning aviation and national security.
Transportation Minister's account
The article reports no direct response from Netanyahu or Regev to Golan's accusation; the investigation into the security questions remains underway.
Key facts
- People on board
- 182
- Airline
- FlyDubai, an Emirati low-cost airline operating flights between Israel and the UAE.
- Alleged weapon
- A crash axe in the cockpit.
- UAE description
- Officials described the incident as a terrorist attack.
- Passenger and crew information
- Regional officials said the UAE provided Israel with details, including nationalities; they said Israel flagged no one as a security concern.
- Investigation
- The investigation is ongoing and includes scrutiny of the co-pilot's background and possible security failures.
- Australia
- Australian police said counterterrorism investigators were examining possible connections between the attacker and Australia.
Quotes
Yair Golan
Head of Israel's opposition Democrats party
“This is exactly what system collapse looks like. A transportation minister who completely abandons our skies, and a prime minister who abandons national security.”
livemint.com
Philip Baum
Visiting professor of aviation security at Coventry University and author on aircraft hijackings and bombings
“In terms of aviation security itself, obviously we want to have as robust background checks as possible. But there are huge limitations on doing background checks in any case, especially in cross-border checks.”
livemint.com
Sources
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