Overview
- The alleged attack occurred on Sept. 30 when the co‑pilot struck the captain with the cockpit emergency crash axe, the plane plunged thousands of feet, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia where the suspect was detained.
- Multiple reports identify the suspect as Omani national Hamam al‑Hammami, who told UAE interrogators he had planned the attack before being hired and aimed to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.
- Captain Smit Machchhar survived serious injuries after fighting the attacker, passengers and crew forced their way into the cockpit to restrain him, and a reserve Flydubai pilot aboard the flight landed the jet safely.
- Investigations found prior warning signs: Oman Air had removed the man from flying duties over extremist concerns, Flydubai did not appear to seek Omani clearance, and Israeli officials have ordered a fast review of vetting for foreign crews.
- UAE, Saudi, Israeli and Australian agencies are coordinating the probe to examine motive and any outside links while the case spurs likely changes to information‑sharing, crew assignment rules and protocols for cockpit emergency tools.