Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says

Passengers Help Stop Cockpit Attack on Dubai–Tel Aviv Flight

Ninoda.com – A Flydubai service travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after an apparent attempt to seize control of the aircraft left its captain injured and passengers rushing to assist in the cockpit. More than 170 people were on board when the plane descended sharply about two and a half hours after departure.

The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and tried to take command of the flight. Crash axes are normally stored in cockpits for emergency use.

The aircraft dropped about 17,000ft, or 5,200m, during the incident. It first transmitted squawk 7700, the standard signal for a general emergency, and later switched to squawk 7500, which indicates unlawful interference or a possible hijacking.

Captain opened the cockpit despite injuries

Machchhar, an Indian national, said he was on the cockpit floor after being hurt when he understood that the aircraft was descending and needed immediate intervention. He managed to open the cockpit door from inside, allowing passengers to enter and help restrain the attacker.

“I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside.”

He was stabbed during the assault and initially taken to a nearby hospital before being flown to Abu Dhabi. The Indian embassy in the UAE said on Thursday that he was in good health and recovering well.

“I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again.”

India’s government praised Machchhar for showing “immense courage” during the emergency.

Passengers entered cockpit as aircraft fell

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said an Israeli passenger, Tali Manes, raised the alarm after hearing a disturbance coming from the cockpit. Her husband, Zvika Manes, joined Yaniv Hayun, Dr Shota Musayev and Asaf Rajuan in entering the flight deck once the captain opened the door.

Hayun said the co-pilot was attempting to damage the aircraft’s instruments, apparently to disable the plane. He said he put the man in a chokehold, removed him from the cockpit and, with help from other passengers, held him down.

During those moments, Hayun said he also pulled the controls as the aircraft began to stabilise. A different pilot then assumed control of the flight.

“The plane started to level out, a bit more, and then [another] pilot told me he was taking control from there.”

Two reserve pilots subsequently brought the aircraft down safely in Saudi Arabia. The episode underlines the importance of trained crew, cockpit security procedures and the actions of passengers during an extremely rare but potentially catastrophic in-flight emergency.

Passenger recalls sudden, repeated descent

One traveller, Almog Itali, described a frightening sequence of steep drops before people realised that there was a serious problem at the front of the aircraft.

“Suddenly the aeroplane started to, like a rollercoaster, to drop down [with] a massive G-force. It was falling down for 20 or 30 seconds, rapidly, and then balanced, and then started once again to fall down.”

He said passengers then started moving towards the cockpit. The rapid descent, combined with the emergency transponder codes, showed the seriousness of the event long before the plane reached the ground.

Investigation examines motive and possible terrorism link

The alleged attacker was an Omani national, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Several international media organisations have identified him as Hamam al-Hammami, although that name has not received official confirmation.

Netanyahu said the man shouted, “Kill me, kill me!” after he was restrained. He described the suspect as suicidal and said it appeared highly likely that he intended to bring down the aircraft. Netanyahu also said the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination.

US media have said that, while employed by Oman Air, al-Hammami was removed from flight training over concerns about radical views and given a different role at the national carrier. Buckinghamshire New University said he completed a three-year distance-learning aviation management degree in 2023, but did not undertake pilot training there.

UAE authorities are investigating the full circumstances of the attack, including whether it had any terrorist connection or purpose. Establishing the motive, the sequence of events inside the cockpit and the security background of the suspect will be central to that inquiry.

Netanyahu said the injured captain, passengers and reserve crew had prevented what he called a possible “9/11 disaster”. The safe landing in Saudi Arabia ended a flight in which quick decisions by an injured captain, reserve pilots and passengers were critical to preventing further loss of control.