UAE Calls Flydubai Cockpit Axe Attack Attempted Terrorism

The co-pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the captain with a crash axe inside the cockpit in what UAE authorities now call an attempted terrorist attack. The incident on Sept. 30 forced the plane carrying 174 people to divert and make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after it lost thousands of feet of altitude.

UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, struck Captain Smit Machchhar and tried to take control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, and a reserve pilot on board regained command. The plane dropped sharply before stabilizing and landing at Tabuk airport. Saudi officials detained al-Hammami and turned him over to UAE investigators.

Media reports citing multiple sources with knowledge of the case say al-Hammami had been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about extremist views. Those reports also indicate he was born in the UAE to Omani parents. UAE officials have not confirmed his identity or background in public statements, but they have labeled the episode a deliberate terrorist act rather than a personal or medical breakdown.

The flight was one of the regular routes connecting the UAE to Israel under the Abraham Accords. Israeli officials had earlier described the event as an apparent attempt to crash the plane. The UAE statement marks the first official confirmation from Emirati authorities that the motive was terrorism. Investigators are still examining physical evidence, digital records, and possible connections to others, according to the prosecutor general.

Passengers on board reported chaos as the plane descended rapidly. One traveler was photographed with blood on his clothing after helping subdue the co-pilot. Machchhar was injured but survived after opening the cockpit door to seek assistance. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were later flown to Israel on another plane.

Aviation security experts have long warned about the difficulty of screening pilots from countries where radical Islamist ideas circulate. Oman has faced its own problems with citizens traveling to join extremist groups in the past. The fact that al-Hammami reached the cockpit of a commercial jet despite prior restrictions in his home country raises obvious questions about how Gulf carriers and regulators share information on potential threats.

UAE officials say the full investigation will be released once technical reviews are complete. For now, the public record shows a man previously flagged for extremist sympathies was allowed to sit beside the controls on a flight to Israel. The attack was stopped by passengers and crew, not by cockpit security systems or pre-flight vetting. That outcome leaves the broader system exposed.