Flydubai Flight 1073: A security warning may have been missed before the plane even took off

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The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain and attempting to crash Flydubai Flight 1073 had reportedly previously been banned from flying in Oman over concerns about radical ideological views, according to people familiar with the case cited by The Wall Street Journal.

Despite the reported ban, the Omani national was later hired by Flydubai and assigned to the highly sensitive Dubai to Tel Aviv route.

Now investigators face a critical question:

Did Oman share its concerns with the UAE, Flydubai or other relevant authorities?

If the warning was never shared, investigators will have to examine whether there was a failure in intelligence and security information sharing.

If the warning was shared, an even more serious question follows:

How did a pilot reportedly grounded by another country over radicalisation concerns end up in the cockpit of a passenger flight bound for Israel?

Flight 1073, carrying more than 170 people, plunged more than 16,000 feet in around 30 seconds after the alleged cockpit attack before passengers and crew intervened. The aircraft ultimately diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

The investigation is ongoing, and the co-pilot’s precise motive and the circumstances surrounding his employment remain under investigation.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

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