UAE Calls Flydubai Copilot’s Cabin Attack an Attempted Terrorist Act

Overview

• The cockpit attack happened Sept. 30 on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 when the copilot assaulted Captain Smit Machchhar, passengers and crew restrained the attacker, and a reserve pilot landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
• The United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor-general said investigators preliminarily conclude the copilot used the cockpit emergency axe in a planned attempt to seize control of the aircraft.
• Multiple outlets identified the detained pilot as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national whom media report was previously barred from flying in Oman over concerns about radical views.
• UAE authorities lead the probe because the aircraft is Emirati-registered, Israel is taking part in interrogations and evidence work, and the detained copilot is being questioned in Abu Dhabi.
• The episode has prompted U.S. warnings about possible Iranian involvement if proven and has intensified scrutiny of how airlines and regulators share vetting information and manage crew security on flights to Israel.