Flydubai Copilot Used Cockpit Emergency Axe in Attack That UAE Calls an Attempted Terror Plot

Overview

• Passengers and crew subdued the copilot after he attacked the commander with the cockpit emergency axe and tried to seize control of the Boeing 737 on the Dubai–Tel Aviv flight that diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
• The aircraft transmitted emergency codes and fell thousands of feet during the struggle, a drop tracked by flight monitors that forced a rapid diversion before reserve pilots on board stabilized and landed the plane.
• UAE prosecutors now describe the September 30 incident as a planned terrorist attempt and have taken custody of a suspect reported by several outlets to be Omani national Hammam al-Hammami.
• Israeli investigators will participate in questioning in the UAE while authorities examine the suspect’s employment history, social media posts and why prior warnings that led Oman to bar him from flying did not prevent later hires.
• The case is prompting reviews of airline hiring, background-check and information-sharing procedures across countries and could reshape how carriers and states vet crew and share security flags for personnel who may travel or work across jurisdictions.