Omani pilot used ‘crash axe’ in cockpit to attack Captain Smit Machchhar, attempted ‘terrorist attack’: UAE

The Omani co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, accused of trying to hijack the Tel Aviv-bound flight, stabbed Indian pilot Smit Machchhar with an axe during the flight and attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack, a UAE official said on Saturday.

The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, according to multiple news agencies. UAE authorities are yet to officially confirm his identity.

The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, cited by the state news agency WAM, said that the accused co-pilot attacked the Indian pilot inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft.

A crash axe is typically kept in the cockpit for use during emergencies such as crashes.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, the motives and any related connections, and to examine physical and digital evidence, the UAE prosecutor general added.

Shamsi's comments were the first by authorities in the UAE to describe the incident as an attempted "terrorist" attack.

What Israeli PM has said

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".

A day prior to that, Netanyahu said 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.

An Israeli government official told Reuters 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.

What happened on the Flydubai flight?

Flydubai Flight FZ1073 was operating from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, carrying 180 passengers. About two hours into the flight, while the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia at an altitude of around 33,000 to 34,000 feet, the co-pilot attacked and stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar.

Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door. Passengers and crew members then entered the cockpit and helped restrain the co-pilot.

The aircraft dropped about 17,000 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 aircraft was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia.

All passengers and crew survived the incident. Most of the passengers on board were Israeli nationals. Flydubai said through a spokesperson that the circumstances surrounding the incident were still under investigation and that it was not in a position to comment further.

Machchhar has since received praise from leaders in India and Israel for his actions during the incident.