‘Prayed Excessively, Refused To Shake Women’s Hands’: Omani Co-Pilot Called ‘Religious Extremist’ By Colleague

New Delhi: The Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv has been described as a “religious extremist” by a fellow pilot, according to Israeli media reports.

Speaking to Israel’s Channel 16, the pilot claimed the Omani national had joined Flydubai only around eight months ago. The colleague alleged that he “prayed excessively throughout the day” and refused to shake hands with women.

The allegations emerged after a dramatic mid-air incident on Wednesday in which the co-pilot reportedly attacked Indian-origin Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit, triggering a major emergency aboard the Israel-bound aircraft.

According to eyewitness accounts cited by the Associated Press, there was blood inside the cockpit following the confrontation. The aircraft reportedly plunged nearly 14,000 feet in about 30 seconds, dropping from around 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet before the situation was brought under control.

Machchhar, despite sustaining serious injuries, is reported to have managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene. Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun reportedly rushed into the cockpit, pulled the attacker away from the controls and helped stabilise the aircraft. Other passengers and crew members subsequently restrained the co-pilot.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s “unbelievable courage”, saying the pilot’s actions, along with those of passengers and crew, helped avert a disaster.

Machchhar has more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and around 9,750 flying hours. He previously spent 11 years with SpiceJet, including as a Line Training Captain.

Flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel while an investigation