--- title: "Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain, tried to crash plane, Netanyahu says" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-tried-to-crash-plane-netanyahu-says" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-tried-to-crash-plane-netanyahu-says" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-tried-to-crash-plane-netanyahu-says.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-tried-to-crash-plane-netanyahu-says" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-10-03T01:25:47.131Z" source_reported: "2026-10-03T00:36:57.000Z" updated: "2026-10-03T01:25:47.131Z" trust_score: 68 critic_score: 85 hype_score: 35 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-03T01:15:18.687221+00:00" --- # Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain, tried to crash plane, Netanyahu says *Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu stated the co-pilot underwent radicalisation and aimed to crash the aircraft.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 68 of 100, higher is better. Trust 68: several independent outlets name Netanyahu and UAE officials, providing specific time and location of the incident. - Craft 85 of 100, higher is better. Critic 85: includes direct quotes, clear facts, specific names, and mentions ongoing investigation. - Hype 35 of 100, lower is better. Hype 35: headlines are dramatic but body matches the statements without exaggeration. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - A Flydubai co-pilot attacked and stabbed the captain inside the cockpit during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the co-pilot attempted to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board. - The United Arab Emirates attorney-general ordered a probe, and a UAE presidential adviser called the attack a terrorist act. - Netanyahu said Israel is investigating whether the co-pilot was sent by someone and that whoever sent him would pay a heavy price. An incident occurred on a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot attacked and stabbed the captain inside the cockpit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot had undergone radicalisation and attempted to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board. The United Arab Emirates attorney-general ordered a probe into the incident, and UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash described the attack as a terrorist act. Netanyahu also stated that Israel is investigating whether the co-pilot was sent by an external party and that whoever sent him would pay a very heavy price. ## Disagreement on the co-pilot's motive While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the co-pilot attempted to crash the plane with all passengers on board, citing radicalisation, the motive behind the incident remained unclear according to France24. News9 Live also noted that officials were examining the co-pilot's alleged radicalisation, actions, and possible motive. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated digests mention the injured captain's name, Smith Machchhar, which is mentioned in the right-rated Moneycontrol and OpsLens digests. None of the left-rated digests mention the specific number of passengers on board, which is stated as 180 in the right-rated OpsLens digest. ## Who covered it Shares of the 10 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 20% (2) - Centre: 10% (1) - Right: 70% (7) 11 of 21 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-03T01:15:18.687221+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 3 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-03T02:00:16.125Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated reports led on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements regarding the Flydubai co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash the plane. Xinhua reported Netanyahu's claim that the co-pilot "came to crash the plane with all passengers on board" and that Israel was investigating potential external involvement. Palinfo.com framed the incident as Netanyahu "employing the Flye Dubai aircraft incident to Tel Aviv, trying to move it from a fact the details of which are still under investigation to an open security and political file." ### Centre - The centre-rated report led on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's warning of a "very heavy price" for any country or organisation found responsible for the incident. France24 noted that while Netanyahu alleged the co-pilot had undergone "Islamist radicalisation," the motive remained unclear. ### Right - The right-rated reports focused on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements about the co-pilot's radicalisation and the threat of retaliation. News-pravda.com reported Netanyahu stating, "The attacker underwent Islamist radicalization. He came to crash the plane with its passengers on board. We are now investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price." The Dallas Express News linked Netanyahu's statements to "Islamist Indoctrination," while Moneycontrol reported Netanyahu confirming the co-pilot "underwent radical Islamist indoctrination." **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 7 - high: 1 - unknown: 11 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [newsypeople.com](https://newsypeople.com/news/any-country-behind-flydubai-attempted-plane-hijacking-will-pay-a-very-heavy-price) — ‘Any country behind FlyDubai attempted plane hijacking will pay a very heavy price’ - Newsy People - [diarioestrategia.cl](https://diarioestrategia.cl/texto-diario/mostrar/6038073/netanyahu-senala-radicalizacion-islamista-piloto-vuelo-flydubai-imagen-aclara) — Netanyahu Notes the "Islamist Radicalization" of the Flydubai Flight Pilot: "The Image Is Clear" - [Báo điện tử Dân Trí](https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/thu-tuong-israel-co-pho-flydubai-dinh-lam-roi-may-bay-cung-toan-bo-khach-20261002235339994.htm) — Israeli Prime Minister: Flydubai Co-Pilot Intended to Crash the Plane with All Passengers on Board. - [Lapresse](https://lapresse.it/video/2026/10/02/netanyahu-aggressore-flydubai-voleva-far-schiantare-aereo) — Netanyahu: "Aggressor Flydubai Wanted to Crash Airplane" - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/usa/2026/10/02/2637095.html) — Israel is investigating who may be behind the actions of the Flydubai pilot who attempted to crash the plane, in order to make them pay a “very heavy price,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated - [Naslovi.net](https://naslovi.net/2026-10-02/politika/netanjahu-istrazujemo-da-li-je-kopilot-flajdubaija-delovao-po-necijem-nalogu/42438354) — Netanyahu: We Are Investigating Whether the Co-Pilot of "Flydubai" Acted on Someone's Orders - [Domani](https://editorialedomani.it/idee/commenti/quante-trappole-netanyahu-elezioni-israele-volo-dubai-jihadismo-l88u3bec) — How Many Traps (Electoral) Faces Netanyahu - [NEWS9 LIVE](https://news9live.com/world/flydubai-attack-netanyahu-warns-those-behind-crash-attempt-will-pay-a-heavy-price-3012764) — Flydubai attack: Netanyahu warns those behind crash attempt will ‘pay a heavy price’ - [Tribune India](https://tribuneindia.com/news/world/whoever-sent-him-will-pay-a-very-heavy-price-netanyahu-on-indoctrinated-islamist-co-pilot-of-flydubai-cockpit-attack) — Whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price: Netanyahu on indoctrinated Islamist co-pilot of flydubai cockpit attack - The Tribune - [palinfo.com](https://palinfo.com/news/2026/10/02/1119746) — Netanyahu and Investment in the Plane crash... Conflict Management in Time of Thugs and Clowns. - [OKDIARIO](https://okdiario.com/internacional/netanyahu-sobre-atentado-vuelo-flydubai-quien-haya-enviado-suicida-pagara-alto-precio-20467560) — Netanyahu on the Bombing of Flydubai: "Whoever Sent the Suicide Bomber Will Pay a High Price" - [Reporter.gr](https://reporter.gr/diethnh/diethneis-eidhseis/687280-iae-kai-netaniaxou-xaraktirizoun-tromokratiki-energeia-tin-epithesi-sto-aeroskafos-tis-flydubai) — UAE and Netanyahu Describe Attack on FlyDubai Plane as Terrorist Act - [Mathrubhumi](https://mathrubhumi.com/news/world/netanyahu-warning-fly-dubai-flight-incident-bbsajc0h) — 'Whoever Sent the Omani Pilot Will Pay a Heavy Price'; Netanyahu Warns - [The Dallas Express News](https://dallasexpress.com/column/barber-ball-banter-bijan-vs-gibbs-cowboys-misery-louis-confesses-his-nfl-allegiance) — Netanyahu Links Flydubai Co-Pilot To Islamist Indoctrination - [Al Bawaba](https://albawaba.com/ar/%D8%A3%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1/%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D9%87%D9%88-%D9%8A%D9%87%D8%AF%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A4%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%B9%D9%86-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AB-1638274) — Netanyahu Threatens Who's Responsible for the Events of Flay Dubai's Flight. - [Moneycontrol](https://moneycontrol.com/news/india/benjamin-netanyahu-warns-of-retaliation-if-flydubai-co-pilot-was-acting-on-orders-very-heavy-price-14043527.html) — Benjamin Netanyahu warns of retaliation if flydubai co-pilot was acting on orders: 'Very heavy price' - [OpsLens](https://opslens.com/kill-me-co-pilot-accused-of-trying-to-crash-jet-full-of-people-studied-islamist-radical-indoctrination-worldnetdaily-by-bob-unruh) — ‘Kill me’: Co-pilot accused of trying to crash jet full of people studied ‘Islamist radical indoctrination’ * WorldNetDaily * by Bob Unruh - [France24](https://france24.com/en/middle-east/20261002-netanyahu-warns-of-very-heavy-price-if-any-country-found-to-be-behind-flydubai-incident) — Netanyahu warns of 'very heavy price' if any country found to be behind FlyDubai incident - [GR Times](https://grtimes.gr/diethni/thriler-ston-aera-apopeira-syntrivis-aeroskafous-tis-flydubai-apo-sygkyverniti-sto-kadro-oi-desmoi-me-to-iran) — Thriller in the Air: Attempted Crash of FlyDubai Plane by Co-Pilot – Ties with Iran in the Frame - [Xinhua](https://english.news.cn/20261002/415cd5e5b64d463aaba82d3cb6ec1ad0/c.html) — Netanyahu says Flydubai co-pilot "came to crash the plane" - [Gazeta](https://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/swiat/7,198075,33056385,dramat-na-pokladzie-samolotu-flydubai-netanjahu-mowi-o-radykalnej.html) — Drama on Board Flydubai Plane. Netanyahu Speaks of "Radical Indoctrination" ## Questions **What happened on the Flydubai flight?** During a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the co-pilot attacked and stabbed the captain inside the cockpit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the co-pilot attempted to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board. **What did Benjamin Netanyahu say about the incident?** Netanyahu stated the co-pilot underwent radicalisation and intended to crash the plane. He also said Israel is investigating whether the co-pilot was sent by someone and that whoever sent him would pay a heavy price. **How did the UAE respond to the incident?** The United Arab Emirates attorney-general ordered a probe into the incident. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash described the attack as a terrorist act. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-tried-to-crash-plane-netanyahu-says. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain, tried to crash plane, Netanyahu says", https://mediabias.news/conflict/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-tried-to-crash-plane-netanyahu-says