Arabic version: الشرطة الفيدرالية الأسترالية تحقق في صلات مساعد طيار «فلاي دبي» بأستراليا

According to ABC News, the Australian Federal Police is investigating Australian links to a flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking a colleague in the cockpit during a flight bound for Tel Aviv.

The pilot was stabbed by his co-pilot on Wednesday in what was described as an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft. The jet descended nearly 14,000 feet, or 4,267 metres, in less than 30 seconds before the flight was diverted for an emergency landing in Tabuk, north-western Saudi Arabia.

The aircraft was carrying 174 people. The United Arab Emirates is leading a probe into the alleged attempt to crash the flydubai plane.

An AFP spokesperson said the Australian inquiry is being conducted by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO. The spokesperson said an update would be provided at an appropriate time.

Sources close to the matter said the co-pilot received a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017 before leaving the country. His visa was cancelled in 2019 because he was no longer enrolled in a course, making him ineligible for a student visa, rather than on character grounds. The investigation will examine whether he was radicalised while in Australia.