Flydubai hijacking attempt exposes major gaps in Israel's aviation security, experts warn

An attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv on September 30 has exposed serious gaps in Israel's aviation security, experts warn. A co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe, intending to crash the plane into Ben-Gurion Airport. The incident has prompted calls for cockpit cameras, tighter crew screening, and better intelligence sharing. The attack represents an 'insider threat' that forces a re-examination of fundamental aviation security assumptions.

An attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv on September 30 has exposed serious gaps in Israel's aviation security, experts warn. A co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft, intending to crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben-Gurion Airport. The aircraft plunged thousands of feet before the wounded captain, passengers, and other crew members managed to subdue the attacker. Two additional pilots aboard helped bring the aircraft safely to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The incident has prompted calls for additional technological safeguards, including remotely activated cockpit cameras, and for tighter screening of flight personnel and ground crews. Experts note that the attack represents an 'insider threat' that forces a re-examination of fundamental aviation security assumptions. The incident follows a 2024 State Comptroller's report that had already called for a comprehensive examination of civil aviation security, and subsequent interagency reviews that revealed disagreements over which agency should bear responsibility for security checks on foreign airlines.