Co-pilot planned flydubai attack before hired by airline, two Israeli officials say

A flydubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane told UAE investigators he planned the attack before being hired by the airline, according to two Israeli officials familiar with the probe. The co-pilot, described as an Omani national, allegedly planned to crash the flight FZ1073 into Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv on Wednesday, and had earlier carried out a flight to Tel Aviv with an intention to hijack and crash it. Officials said it wasn’t clear why he changed his mind previously. The incident occurred after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot. The injured captain, Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, survived.