FlyDubai Co-Pilot Attempts Ax Hijacking; Israeli Investigators Suspect Extremism
Summary
The co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv attempted to crash the plane using a crash ax, with the captain describing a struggle for his life. Investigations are scrutinizing the co-pilot's years in Australia on a student visa and his alleged embrace of extremist Islamist views, which Omani officials had reportedly flagged.
How coverage differs
Left outlets emphasize the co-pilot's lone wolf extremism and Israeli intelligence failures, while right outlets focus on his Australian ties and alleged extremist connections as critical to the investigation.
- Left: Authorities failed to flag extremist co-pilot; lone wolf suspected Left-leaning outlets focus on the Israeli investigation's belief that the FlyDubai co-pilot was likely a 'lone wolf' and highlight the alleged extremist views of the Omani co-pilot. They also report on Israeli authorities trading blame for failing to flag the co-pilot's extremism concerns prior to the attempted hijacking.
- Center: Co-pilot's extremist views and past under international investigation Center outlets report on Australia's investigation into the FlyDubai co-pilot's links to the country and detail the captain's account of the co-pilot's attack. They also confirm that the ax-wielding co-pilot had been flagged over extremism concerns by Omani officials.
- Right: Hijacker's Australian student visa years under intense scrutiny Right-leaning outlets scrutinize the FlyDubai co-pilot's years spent in Australia on a student visa, emphasizing the need for authorities to probe any links to the country. They highlight the co-pilot's alleged extremist ties as a critical element in the investigation.