The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the captain with a crash axe right inside the cockpit, then tried to take over the plane. The UAE’s Attorney-General, Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, called it a terrorist act.
Investigators say the co-pilot, Hamam Alhamami, put his plan in motion mid-flight, attacking Captain Smit Machchhar. This happened about two and a half hours after takeoff. The plane suddenly dropped more than 17,000 feet before passengers and crew managed to overpower the co-pilot, according to officials and others close to the situation.
So far, the UAE hasn’t explained exactly how the co-pilot got hold of the crash axe, but it sounds like the tool was already in the cockpit. Crash axes are standard emergency equipment on commercial planes, usually meant for evacuations or breaking through barriers—not as a weapon.
After the attack, the flight diverted to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. There were 174 people onboard. While the regular crew landed the plane safely, passengers and other crew stepped in to stop the co-pilot.
Captain Machchhar, an Indian national, was hurt in the attack. He was first treated locally, then flown to Abu Dhabi. He’s said to be stable now.
Media reports have named the co-pilot and linked him to extremist views. Apparently, Oman’s national airline fired Alhamami last year over concerns he’d embraced radical ideas. Oman had even barred him from flying. Somehow, he later joined Flydubai, but it’s not clear how thoroughly he was vetted.
A lot is still up in the air. Investigators haven’t shared details about the co-pilot’s motive or whether anyone helped him. Flydubai hasn’t commented on his hiring or their screening process.
The incident raises some tough questions: How did someone with flagged extremist views get hired? How safe are cockpit security protocols? And should crash axes be more tightly controlled?
The UAE is leading the investigation. Israeli officials have already called it an attempt to crash the plane. For now, there’s been no word about charges or a trial, and the investigation is still open.
