Motive remains unknown after Israeli-bound plane escapes disaster

TEL AVIV

The motive of the Omani copilot who stabbed his captain on a flight to Israel, causing the plane to plummet dangerously and forcing it to land in Saudi Arabia, remained unknown on Oct. 1, as investigators across the region raced to learn more.

Israeli passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft carrying 174 people from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv have described how the bloodied Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door to let them in before they grappled with the copilot and stabilized a descent so sharp that the plane’s rudder was torn away.

“We felt helpless, suspended in midair, and I didn’t know who to turn to. But it was all instinct to survive,” one of the responders, Asaf Rajuan, said in a new statement shared by Israel’s presidency.

A regional official briefed on the investigation said the suspect, an Omani citizen, was under arrest and confirmed that Saudi authorities were working with countries, including Israel, to try to determine a motive.

He said the UAE, the United States and Oman also were involved. The official did not describe the extent of Israeli involvement.

“All possible scenarios, from terrorism to mental disorders, are being looked into. Nothing is ruled out for now,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the probe.

Israeli intelligence and security officials were investigating the copilot in Saudi Arabia, according to another regional official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Video shot inside the plane by Shota Musayev, a dentist who treated the captain, shows the copilot on his knees, with his hands tied behind his back. The copilot’s name still has not been released.

The UAE government said its investigation team had begun its work into the motive and “whether it was linked to any terrorist purpose.”

Capt. Smit Machchhar, widely praised as one of the heroes of the flight, was reportedly in stable condition. The condition of the copilot was not clear.

Asked if there is any indication of Iranian involvement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News “it’s too early to say.” The prime minister told CNN that Israel had received no specific warning.