Flydubai Co-Pilot Sent to UAE; Trump Vows to Hit Iran — SkimNews
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- Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) the flydubai co-pilot suspected of an attack was transferred from the kingdom, heading to Abu Dhabi that morning accompanied by an Emirati security team.
- The move came after the captain and co-pilot's health improved and the medical team cleared them; Saudi Arabia's initial investigation showed the co-pilot attacked the captain.
- President Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday that Iran may be linked to the co-pilot, saying the answer 'based on what I'm hearing, is yes,' though he offered no details and said officials are 'working on it right now.'
- Asked if the U.S. would retaliate against Tehran, Trump warned, 'Oh they'll be hit, very hard, don't worry... they know what happened. They'll be hit very hard.'
- The incident occurred on an Israel-bound flydubai flight where the captain and passengers stopped the co-pilot's apparent attempt to crash the plane.
Why it matters: Transferring the co-pilot to UAE shifts the investigation out of Saudi jurisdiction and into the hands of a Gulf state that maintains diplomatic ties with Tehran, while Trump's open-ended threat—issued without confirmed evidence—raises the risk of a new U.S.-Iran military confrontation with no clear evidentiary threshold disclosed.
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