A Flydubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia after an Omani national co‑pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Thursday. The incident occurred about two and a half hours after the plane departed Dubai International Airport, when the aircraft began a sudden descent of 17,000 feet. Passengers rushed to the cockpit and managed to overpower the attacker, allowing the crew to regain control and land safely in Saudi Arabia.
Captain Smit Machchhar, who sustained stab wounds, was airlifted to Abu Dhabi where he is reported to be in stable condition. The Indian‑born pilot is recovering well, the Indian embassy in the UAE confirmed. Two reserve pilots subsequently landed the aircraft.
The attacker, identified by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as Hamam al‑Hammami, was reportedly removed from flight training at Oman Air due to concerns about radical views. He had completed a distance‑learning aviation management degree at Buckinghamshire New University in 2023 but had not undertaken pilot training there.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigations were underway to determine the full circumstances and motives, noting that the co‑pilot “attempted to carry out a terrorist act.” Israeli officials described the attacker as suicidal and having undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. Netanyahu said the attacker “underwent Islamist radical indoctrination” and was likely intent on bringing the plane down.
Passengers and crew were praised for preventing a potential disaster. The incident has raised questions about security protocols on flights to Israel, where stringent measures are already in place. Authorities are continuing to probe the motive and any possible links to extremist networks.
