Breaking
A Flydubai flight hijacker planned to kill the pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, unnoticed before flying to Tel Aviv and crashing into city buildings, according to reports. The incident has exposed a significant security vulnerability in cockpit protection measures more than 25 years after aviation security protocols were strengthened following 9/11.
The cockpit, considered one of the most protected areas on modern aircraft with reinforced doors and restricted access, proved insufficient to prevent the hijacking attempt. The case revealed a structural weakness in the security framework designed to protect pilots and aircraft.
Israel’s Transport Ministry has faced scrutiny over its role in vetting foreign pilots. The ministry, assigned responsibility for foreign-flight security by Prime Minister Netanyahu in 2025, now claims intelligence vetting of foreign pilots falls outside its remit, raising questions about security oversight and coordination between agencies.
The incident has prompted a broader examination of aviation security protocols across Israeli airspace and international carriers, with authorities investigating the circumstances that allowed the hijacking attempt to occur.
Sources: Ynet, www.israelhayom.co.il, Jerusalem Post
Update 20:02:
