UAE Calls Flydubai Cockpit Axe Attack Attempted Terrorism

The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said Saturday that the co-pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv tried to carry out a terrorist attack by striking the captain with a crash axe and attempting to seize the controls. The statement marks the first official Emirati characterization of the September 30 incident on flight FZ1073 as an act of terrorism rather than a personal or medical episode.

According to the prosecutor, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit, wounding him before passengers and crew intervened. A reserve pilot on board took over and diverted the aircraft to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The plane carried 174 people. Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot and later transferred him to UAE custody. Machchhar was also returned to the Emirates for treatment.

The co-pilot has been identified in multiple reports as Hammam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. Three people familiar with the matter told news organizations that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman after authorities raised concerns about possible extremist views. No official confirmation of that detail has been issued, and investigators have not yet released findings on motive or any external connections. The UAE statement said technical examinations and reviews of physical and digital evidence are continuing.

The episode highlights persistent challenges in aviation security across the Gulf, where carriers operate extensive international networks and where regional political tensions can intersect with routine flights. Flydubai, a low-cost carrier owned by the government of Dubai, has expanded routes into Israel in recent years as part of the normalization agreements between the UAE and Israel. That context has drawn attention to how airlines and regulators screen and monitor flight crews on politically sensitive routes.

The use of the cockpit crash axe, a standard emergency tool stored for post-crash scenarios, underscores a narrow but recurring vulnerability in cockpit access protocols. Once inside, a crew member with hostile intent can rapidly threaten flight controls. In this case, the captain’s decision to open the door after being attacked allowed others to assist, while the presence of an off-duty pilot enabled the plane to recover after a rapid descent. Those factors prevented a worse outcome, yet they also illustrate reliance on ad hoc responses rather than layered preventive systems.

Investigators are examining whether al-Hammami acted alone or had links to any group. The UAE has not released details on how he was hired by Flydubai or what background checks were performed. Oman has not commented publicly. The absence of immediate information on prior warnings or intelligence-sharing gaps leaves open questions about coordination among Gulf aviation authorities and security services.

The incident comes as governments in the region continue to balance expanded commercial aviation with security concerns tied to political disputes. Israel’s officials had already described the event as an apparent attempt to crash the plane. The UAE’s formal designation as a terrorist act aligns with that assessment but shifts emphasis toward domestic legal proceedings and a broader review of vetting procedures. Until the full investigative report is released, the case serves mainly as a reminder that even well-resourced carriers remain exposed to risks that originate inside the cockpit rather than from external threats.