Flydubai co-pilot attack: UAE calls axe assault on captain a terrorist act

The flydubai co-pilot attack on flight FZ1073 is now officially a terrorism case. UAE prosecutors said on Saturday that the co-pilot struck the captain with the cockpit’s crash axe. They called it an attempted terrorist act.

The flight was heading from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday with 182 people aboard. It diverted and landed at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were taken to hospital, one with serious wounds.

What the flydubai co-pilot attack inquiry has found

Euronews named the suspect as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national born in the UAE. The captain, Indian national Smit Machchhar, reportedly unlocked the cockpit door. That let crew and passengers step in and stabilise the aircraft.

Passengers gathered outside the flight deck during the struggle. Video showed bloodied men on the cabin floor. The plane dropped about 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before it levelled out, according to one report.

Prosecutors said they are examining “all circumstances, motives, and related connections”. Security agencies from four regional countries are working together. They are getting help from the United States and Western partners.

A vetting question for the airline

The most uncomfortable detail concerns the co-pilot’s past. Euronews reported that Oman’s national airline had removed him from flying duties. The reason given was concern that he showed signs of extremist views. Flydubai later hired him.

That raises an obvious question. How did a pilot with that history reach a cockpit? Neither airline has yet explained. Flydubai said earlier that the motives were unknown and subject to a formal investigation.

The political damage is already visible. The UAE cancelled Israeli flights, and El Al did the same in return. Both sides agreed on repatriation flights for stranded passengers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the passengers and crew who intervened saved many lives. That judgement looks fair on the evidence so far.

Aviation regulators will now look hard at how airlines share safety concerns about crew. Security tensions across the region are already high, as our report on the Russian warning to NATO shows.

Investigators have not yet published a motive. Until they do, the facts should be reported carefully. Charges, if any, will follow the prosecutors’ review of the physical and digital evidence.

Fact basis: Euronews, Al Jazeera, NBC News, CNBC, Africanews and Onmanorama reports of 30 September to 3 October 2026. Allegations remain unproven pending the investigation.