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Flydubai co-pilot attacked Capt Machchhar with axe

By Sohail Khan 3 October 2026, 11:47 am

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Business News›News›International›World News›Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe, attempted 'terrorist' attack, UAE says

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Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe, attempted 'terrorist' attack, UAE says
Synopsis

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attacked the pilot with an axe in the cockpit. He attempted to gain control of the aircraft during the incident. The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general has announced that investigations are currently ongoing. Authorities are looking into the motives behind this attack and any possible connections.

Flydubai flight incident probe — Hamam al-Hammami, the accused co-pilot in the flydubai incident

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM.

The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identity.

The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said.

Disaster was averted on Wednesday after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, who had attacked the captain in what Israeli officials said was an apparent attempt to crash the plane carrying more than 170 passengers and crew.

A reserve flydubai pilot travelling on the flight took control of the aircraft and landed it at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was detained by Saudi authorities.

Flydubai said the circumstances surrounding the incident were still under investigation and that it was not in a position to comment further, a spokesperson said.

An Israeli government official told Reuters earlier that Israeli investigators would take part alongside Emirati authorities in the UAE-led investigation, which would examine what happened as well as the suspect's motives and background.

Also Read: FlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed plane was barred from flying by Oman over extremism concerns

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel was looking into whether the co-pilot had acted under anyone's direction, warning that anyone involved would pay a "heavy price".

Netanyahu said on Thursday that the co-pilot, whom he identified as an Omani national, had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and appeared suicidal, though he said a motive had not yet been established. Most of the passengers on board were Israeli nationals.

The aircraft dropped about 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia on its journey from the UAE to Israel, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24. The route is popular among Israeli travellers.

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