UAE Shared FlyDubai Passenger, Crew Details With Israel Ahead of Attack
Regional officials say authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared passenger and crew information with Israel before a FlyDubai flight during which a pilot attempted to crash the plane.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared details about passengers and crew, including their nationalities, with Israel ahead of a recent FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the aircraft, according to regional officials.
The incident has raised questions about security protocols and how the Omani co-pilot, who had reportedly been barred from flying by his own country due to concerns about extremist views, was allowed to be on the flight.
During the flight on Wednesday, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit crash ax and attempted to take control of the plane. The captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and other crew members to subdue the attacker. The flight was carrying 182 people.
Israel did not raise any concerns about any passenger or crew member after receiving the information from the UAE, officials said. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
Israel's Transportation Minister Miri Regev stated that security agencies are responsible for flight security and that her ministry did not receive any passenger lists or warnings. The Prime Minister's office indicated that Israel has long-standing agreements with foreign carriers to prevent pilots from nations without diplomatic ties to Israel from flying into the country.
Questions also remain about how FlyDubai, an Emirati low-cost airline, failed to identify the Omani pilot as a security risk. Experts note that background check systems vary by country, and cross-border information sharing has limitations.