Trump blames Iran for attempted hijack of Israel plane after captain stabbed

President Donald Trump has pointed to Iran as the likely force behind a failed hijacking of a FlyDubai flight headed to Israel. Asked by reporters at the White House, he answered that he personally believed so. Investigators have not announced a finding, and the United Arab Emirates is leading the inquiry, according to The Independent.

The flight, a Boeing 737 Max traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, nearly met disaster when co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, 29, allegedly struck captain Smit Machchhar with the cockpit crash axe. The jet dropped 17,000 feet. Though badly hurt, Machchhar opened the cockpit door, and passengers rushed in, overpowered the co-pilot and helped steady the aircraft, which then landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Israeli officials say al-Hammami, an Omani national, told UAE questioners that the scheme predated his hiring and that he wanted to fly into Ben Gurion airport. They add that he skipped a similar chance on an earlier Tel Aviv trip this year. Oman had reportedly grounded him over extremist leanings. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a review of security for foreign airlines serving Israel. Authorities in Australia and New Zealand are examining his time spent in each country.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Independent’s reporting. Read the full story at The Independent →