What Maldivian Media Reported
According to reports in Maldivian media, the two men, both Maldivian nationals who serve as copilots at Flydubai, were taken into custody in the UAE on October 3. Their families were later told by the Maldivian embassy that the men were being held by local police, according to the reports.
Reports in the Maldives and in Israel said the two pilots also flew Flydubai routes to Israel, knew the Omani suspect and lived in the same building. UAE authorities have not commented publicly on the detentions. They have not said what the two men are suspected of, whether they knew of the plan in advance or whether their detention is linked to the inquiry into the suspect's contacts.
The Prosecution's Account
UAE prosecutors said on October 9 that the 29 year old Omani copilot intended to take control of the aircraft and crash it into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport, Israel's main international gateway. According to the prosecution, he attacked the captain in the cockpit with an emergency axe.
The wounded captain, crew members and passengers stopped the attack, and the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Prosecutors say the suspect confessed and told investigators that he acted alone. They added that they are still examining possible accomplices and other connections.
A Passenger's Questions About the Cabin Crew
Asaf Rajuan, an Israeli passenger who helped subdue the attacker, has raised questions about the conduct of some cabin crew members. In an interview with Israel's Channel 12 News (N12), he said a flight attendant began loosening the restraints used to tie up the attacker after passengers had overpowered him.
Rajuan also said crew members tried to stop passengers from filming, and that a flight attendant approached the wounded captain with an unidentified pill while he was receiving medical treatment. Passengers intervened, he said.
Asked whether the crew members had cooperated with the attacker, he said: "I have no proof." He told the channel that he was describing what he felt and saw, not making accusations. No response from Flydubai to his account had been reported.
What Israel and the UAE Have Said About the Crew
Channel 12 reported on October 5 that Israel does not believe other Flydubai crew members were involved, and that UAE investigators reached the same conclusion. The UAE has also credited a cabin crew member with helping to subdue the attacker.
The new reports do not change that official picture. Rajuan's claims have not been substantiated, and no evidence has been published linking any crew member or the two detained pilots to the plan.
What Happens Next
As of October 12, UAE authorities had not announced charges against the copilot or anyone else, and no trial date had been set. Two questions remain open: whether the suspect acted alone, as he told investigators, and why the two Maldivian pilots are being held.
