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Flydubai Co-Pilot Attacks Captain with Crash Axe on Tel Aviv Flight
Reported by Arjun Sethi (Fact-Checker) · Indian Express - World ·
Confirmed by a second source: BBC News - World
Representative image · PexelsCo-Pilot Attack
A Flydubai flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged 17,000 feet after the co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general stated that the co-pilot tried to carry out a terrorist act. Multiple media reports and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the Omani national as Hamam al-Hammami. US media reported that al-Hammami was previously removed from flight training at Oman Air due to concerns over radical views and moved to a ground role.
Passenger Intervention
Two and a half hours into the flight, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 dropped sharply in altitude while the captain was injured on the floor. Captain Machchhar stated he managed a last push to open the cockpit door from the inside. Passengers and crew rushed forward, overpowering the attacker and keeping him under guard. Dr Shota Musayev, an Israeli dentist on board, provided emergency medical care. Two off-duty Flydubai pilots took control of the plane, and the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, nearly four hours after take-off.
Official Reactions
Netanyahu told Fox News that the attacker called out to the crew to kill him and stated it was clear he was suicidal and underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. The Indian government praised Captain Machchhar for his immense courage. Machchhar was treated in a hospital and airlifted to Abu Dhabi in a stable condition, with the Indian embassy confirming he is recovering well. The UAE attorney general stated that investigations are continuing to determine motives and whether anyone else was involved.
Context
Commercial cockpit doors are heavily reinforced and locked during flights as a standard security measure to prevent unauthorized access. Crash axes are kept inside flight decks for safety emergencies, such as cutting through panels if electrical systems fail. International aviation authorities maintain strict security protocols for sensitive Middle Eastern routes, prompting ongoing scrutiny into how security checks handled the co-pilot's background.
ExplainerWhy this matters
What Happened
A Flydubai co-pilot launched a violent attack on the captain mid-flight using a cockpit safety tool, forcing the aircraft into a steep descent before passengers and backup pilots intervened to secure the plane.
Why It Matters
The incident raises severe international concerns over aviation security, cockpit access protocols, and how airline background checks evaluate pilots with past red flags or extremist views, especially on sensitive cross-border routes.
What Happens Next
Investigators in the UAE and other involved nations are examining the co-pilot's background, motives, communications, and potential wider links, while aviation regulators globally review cockpit security and psychological screening standards for flight crews.
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Omani co‑pilot Hamam al‑Hammami used a crash axe to attack Indian pilot Smit Machchhar on flydubai flight FZ1073 in an attempt to take control of the aircraft, which UAE and Israel described as a terrorist act.
Reported by Danish Ansari (Fact-Checker) · Indian Express - World ·