Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Report Says Flydubai Co-Pilot Had Only Omani Nationality
A flydubai plane was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.
Reports say the co-pilot attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar.
The co-pilot also reportedly tried to crash the plane.
Investigators are examining what happened.
Sources cited by The Jerusalem Post say the co-pilot was only an Omani citizen.
This means he did not have a second nationality.
Investigators had considered dual citizenship as one possible explanation for how he was assigned to the flight.
The report says that explanation is no longer supported by the available information.
Sources cited by The Jerusalem Post say the co-pilot held only Omani nationality.
The co-pilot reportedly did not have dual citizenship.
The co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar during a flydubai flight.
The co-pilot reportedly attempted to crash the aircraft.
Flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.
- Who
- The unnamed flydubai co-pilot and Captain Smit Machchhar; sources cited by The Jerusalem Post provided information about the investigation.
- What
- The co-pilot reportedly attacked the captain and attempted to crash the aircraft; investigators also determined he reportedly held only Omani nationality.
- When
- September 30.
- Where
- On flydubai Flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- Why
- The nationality disclosure is significant because it removes dual citizenship as one possible explanation for the co-pilot’s assignment to the flight.
- Flight
- flydubai Flight FZ1073
- Route
- Dubai to Tel Aviv
- Date
- September 30
- Captain
- Smit Machchhar
- Reported co-pilot nationality
- Omani
- Dual citizenship
- Sources cited in the report say the co-pilot did not hold another nationality
- Source
- The Jerusalem Post, citing sources with knowledge of the investigation