Israel Readied Flydubai Shootdown
Israel was ready to down the jet after a cockpit attack, sources said.
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Updated Oct 6, 7:23pm ETEvery side, every morning
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What happened
Israel scrambled fighter jets and closed its airspace as Flydubai flight FZ1073 approached, after the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and tried to seize control. Officials described the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv incident as a terrorist attack, and a Middle Eastern official told NBC News that Hamam al-Hammami said he intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport or another building. Al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying for Oman Air over extremist concerns before Flydubai hired him. The plane carrying about 180 people plunged nearly 14,000 feet in 29 seconds before passengers and crew subdued him. UAE authorities are investigating, and Flydubai’s vetting remains unclear.
How each side covered it
From the left
Left-leaning outlets focused on institutional breakdowns, especially airline vetting and Israel’s security rules for foreign crews. The Boston Globe said the new details raised questions about Flydubai hiring and how the assignment passed Israel’s strict protocols. It also placed the case against the UAE’s reputation for countering extremism and past sensitivity to security criticism.
From the right
Right-leaning outlets framed the case as a narrowly averted attack on Israel, not just a cockpit emergency. The Daily Mail emphasized a possible 9/11-style plot and highlighted the suspect’s pilot training in Britain and New Zealand. The Daily Wire cited The Times of Israel on broader concern over crews from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel.
Headlines
Left2
Israel Was Ready to Shoot Down FlyDubai Plane
The 1,200-Person Security Question Hanging Over Israel’s Near ‘9/11’
Flydubai Co-Pilot Had Flight Training in New Zealand, Police SayAlso today
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