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Co‑Pilot Accused of Terrorist Attempt After Attack on Flydubai Flight

UAE-led investigators are probing motive, possible direction, plus gaps in vetting that allowed the accused to fly.

This undated photo released on Israel's Foreign Ministry social media shows Indian Capt. Smit Machchhar in the cockpit of a plane in an unknown location. Machchhar was at the controls of a FlyDubai flight that was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (Israel's Foreign Ministry via AP)
Flydubai pilot recounts cockpit stabbing in call with Indian PM Modi
A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
The flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 passengers, left Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Overview

  • Flight FZ1073 bound for Tel Aviv plunged roughly 17,000 feet after the co‑pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, and passengers, crew and two reserve pilots overpowered the attacker and diverted the jet to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • The captain is recovering in the UAE after surgery and spoke by video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while hospitals in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi treated crew members.
  • Media reports identify the detained suspect as Omani national Hamam al‑Hammami who was previously barred from flying in Oman over extremism concerns but was later employed by carriers in the region; official confirmations remain under development.
  • Abu Dhabi is leading a multi‑country probe with Saudi and Israeli participation that is examining physical and digital evidence, whether the assault was directed, and how an onboard crash axe was accessed during the attack.
  • Flydubai has suspended Dubai–Tel Aviv services and the episode has prompted urgent reviews of pilot vetting, cockpit tool storage and airline security protocols with possible political fallout in Israel.