'Religious extremist, refused handshakes with women': Colleague describes flydubai attacker
What's the story
A flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after one pilot stabbed the other and allegedly tried to crash the plane. The pilot, an Omani national, allegedly stabbed the captain, an Indian national, who managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. The incident is now being investigated as a possible terrorist attack. Israel is also probing how the Omani co-pilot was cleared to fly.
Pilot profile
Co-pilot's unusual religious practices
Reports have now cited a fellow pilot who described the attacker as a "religious extremist" with unusual religious practices.
Speaking in Hebrew on Israel's Channel 16, foreign editor and news anchor Yosef Yisrael, quoting a colleague of the attacker, described the pilot as someone "characterized by very strange behavior, especially around religious observances that were out of step with his surroundings [at flydubai]."
"For instance, he used to pray a lot, and would not shake hands with women."
Colleague
'Usually only Emiratis fly to Israel'
Yisrael said his source, who wished to remain anonymous, "expressed contrition" and said flydubai had "betrayed Israel."
"There is no other way to put it, we hired the services of a terrorist and nearly caused the deaths of 180 people," Yisrael said the man told him.
"Usually only Emiratis fly to Israel. It is not clear how he got on this flight."
Descent details
Passengers overpower co-pilot after aircraft plunges
Israel is probing how the attacker was authorized to fly the jet heading for Tel Aviv, considering that Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel and foreign personnel flying into its airspace are strictly controlled.
The confrontation between the pilots had led to a dramatic descent of the aircraft.
Reuters reported it descended by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
Emergency response
Captain credited for saving passengers
Despite being seriously injured, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door and resist the attacker. This allowed passengers and crew to overpower him.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu credited the Indian captain with saving all 174 people on board.
The aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar was hospitalized but is stable, according to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia.
Flydubai has grounded all its flights to and from Israel amid the investigation.