A senior military official said it appears that the pilot involved in the incident is Omani, and that authorities are investigating the possibility that he attempted to take his own life using the aircraft.
At this stage, it remains unclear whether the motive, if such an attempt did in fact take place, was psychological or nationalistic. The official described the incident as "a great miracle" and attributed the outcome to the resourcefulness of the crew members and the assistance of Israeli passengers.
The IDF Chief of Staff is currently holding a situation assessment and considering whether to dispatch Israeli Air Force Hercules aircraft to Saudi Arabia, alongside Flydubai's decision to send an aircraft to the country to return the passengers to Israel. The Air Force has raised its readiness level in preparation for the possibility of carrying out the mission.