Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking captain during flight to Tel Aviv
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The UAE prosecutor general said a Flydubai co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, and investigators are treating the attempted takeover as a suspected terrorist act. Passengers subdued the attacker after the aircraft plunged sharply, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter; two reserve pilots took control and landed the aircraft. More than 170 people were aboard, and the plane fell about 17,000ft (5,200m) roughly two and a half hours into the flight. The co-pilot was identified as an Omani national, while authorities said they were still investigating his motive and any links; claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about radicalisation and suicidal intent had not been officially confirmed.
- A Flydubai co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe.
- The plane plunged 17,000ft before passengers subdued him.
- Two reserve pilots landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
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Flydubai is an airline based in Dubai. A flight to Tel Aviv experienced an emergency when the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. The aircraft descended significantly during the incident before other crew members and passengers intervened.
The captain, Smit Machchhar, was injured in the attack and taken to hospital. The co-pilot is an Omani national, and authorities are investigating what motivated the incident.
Attacks on flight crew are rare but represent a serious threat to aviation safety. The incident has drawn attention from officials in multiple countries as they work to understand what happened and why.
Full account
A Flydubai aircraft bound for Tel Aviv experienced a dramatic incident when its co-pilot attacked the commanding officer using a crash axe from the cockpit, forcing the aircraft into an uncontrolled descent. The flight, which departed from Dubai with over 170 passengers and crew, began its steep dive approximately two-and-a-half hours into its journey. Passengers aboard managed to restrain the assailant, ultimately enabling two reserve pilots to regain control and land the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia.
The pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar from India, sustained injuries during the assault, including stab wounds, and was evacuated to hospital before being transferred to Abu Dhabi. The Indian government commended his actions during the incident. Machchhar described recognising the severity of the situation whilst injured on the cockpit floor, stating he summoned the strength to open the door from inside, permitting passengers to intervene. The Indian embassy reported he was in stable condition and recovering satisfactorily.
The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national, though UAE authorities have not formally confirmed this identification. Prior to joining Flydubai, al-Hammami had been removed from flight training at Oman Air, his country's national airline, in 2024 following concerns about extremist ideological views. He subsequently relocated to Dubai. The co-pilot obtained a distance-learning degree in aviation management from Buckinghamshire New University in the United Kingdom in 2023, though he did not receive pilot training at that institution. Reports indicate he spent considerable time outside Oman, including periods with his mother, who is Syrian.
The UAE authorities have commenced a formal investigation to establish whether the incident constituted a terrorist act and to determine al-Hammami's precise motivations. A Gulf diplomat suggested investigators are assessing whether he acted independently or maintained connections with extremist organisations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterised the attack as terrorism, stating that al-Hammami had undergone Islamic radicalisation and that his intent was to bring down the aircraft.
The incident has raised significant questions about pre-employment vetting procedures. Reports indicate that Flydubai did not consult with Oman Air regarding al-Hammami's previous suspension from flight training before hiring him. During the incident itself, the aircraft transmitted emergency distress signals, initially broadcasting a general emergency code before switching to a hijacking alert code. These failures in both employment screening and procedural response have become focal points in the broader investigation.
Where outlets differ
Source 1 emphasises the captain's personal account and recovery with direct quotations; Source 2 focuses on investigation methodology and security vetting failures
Source 1 provides detailed educational background; Source 2 emphasises family background and geographic movements
Source 1 includes specific emergency transponder codes; Source 2 omits these technical details
Source 1 mentions both stab wounds and crash axe; Source 2 emphasises crash axe as primary weapon
Source 1 specifies landing location as Saudi Arabia with two reserve pilots; Source 2 is less specific
Source 2 more prominently features Netanyahu's terrorism characterisation; Source 1 includes it but does not foreground it
Source 2 specifically highlights Flydubai's failure to check with Oman Air before hiring; Source 1 does not mention this
Source 1 includes passenger account from BBC interview; Source 2 contains no passenger testimonies
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Originally published by BBC World as “Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with crash axe, UAE official says”.