FlyDubai Co-Pilot Attacks Captain with Crash Axe in Attempted Hijacking
A 29-year-old Omani co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft bound for Tel Aviv. UAE authorities are investigating the incident as a terrorist attack. The co-pilot had previously been flagged for extremism concerns and was barred from flying for Oman's national airline.
Left-leaning outlets emphasize the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, focusing on the official UAE prosecutor characterization and the seriousness of the threat posed to the aircraft and passengers.
Right-leaning outlets highlight the co-pilot's prior extremism flags and his barring from Oman's airline, suggesting a security screening failure, while also labeling the incident a terrorist attack.