A co-pilot accused in an incident on a FlyDubai flight—allegedly involving an attempted attack on the captain—is described by officials and reports as having previously been identified as a security concern. The ABC News US report says the co-pilot is an Omani national and had been suspended by Oman Air as a security risk.
The Washington Times also reports that the co-pilot was suspended in 2024 for reasons related to security risk, but it adds that how the co-pilot came to be in the cockpit for this flight remains unclear. Newsweek similarly says the individual had previously been flagged, citing reports that the concerns related to extremist views, raising questions about how airlines vet and monitor crew.
Across outlets, the central points are consistent: authorities describe a prior security-related flag or suspension involving the same individual. Differences are mainly in the details highlighted—such as the nationality and the specific nature of the concerns—while all acknowledge remaining uncertainty about the circumstances that led to the alleged attack.
