A Delta Airlines plane travelling from New York to Tel Aviv was evacuated at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport after an anonymous bomb threat was made. The aircraft was moved to an isolated area of the airport and searched after a message claimed an explosive was onboard.
Airport staff found that there was no immediate danger, and evidence points to a false alarm. The incident prompted a major emergency response, though no further details on the nature of the threat were provided.
Previous hijacking attempt
The false threat came a week after a FlyDubai co-pilot attacked the plane's captain in an attempt to hijack the aircraft. Flight 1073 was bound for Tel Aviv when it was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia due to the onboard altercation.
The plane was able to land safely thanks to the intervention of two off-duty pilots travelling on the flight, who helped Indian captain Smit Machchhar regain control. Officials say the banned pilot had come close to crashing the aircraft, which was carrying 182 people.
Radicalisation concerns
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident was a result of 'Islamist radicalisation'. Hammam al-Hammami has been accused of attacking his captain on the flight deck, causing the plane to enter a sudden dive.
It has been reported that the weapon used was a 'crash axe' kept in the cockpit in case of emergencies. Al-Hammami had previously been flagged for holding radical views, it has been revealed.
The 29-year-old Omani national had previously trained at his country's flag carrier in 2024, but was moved to an administrative role after being found in possession of extremist materials, ABC News reported. He had reportedly completed a distance-learning degree in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in 2023.
