Co‑pilot attacks Flydubai flight FZ1073, aircraft lands in Saudi Arabia
On 30 September a co‑pilot assaulted the captain on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Israel; the aircraft was diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia and the attacker was later arrested.
Attack on board
Co‑pilot Hamam al‑Hammami, an Oman citizen, used a knife to attack Captain Smit Machchhar during the flight. The captain, an Indian national, survived the assault and helped subdue al‑Hammami.
The incident occurred on flight FZ1073 on 30 September, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying approximately 180 passengers and crew.
Control of the aircraft
Two other Flydubai pilots took control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia, according to a U.S. newspaper report.
A Flydubai trainee pilot is reported to have taken control of the aircraft and diverted it to a north‑west Saudi Arabian airport where al‑Hammami was arrested.
Arrest and legal response
Al‑Hammami was arrested by UAE authorities and is currently detained, with later reports indicating detention by Saudi authorities as well.
The UAE prosecutor described the attack as a deliberate act of terrorism.
Background and reactions
Al‑Hammami had previously flown a flight to Tel Aviv earlier in the year and had considered a similar plan to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Captain Machchhar as a hero for preventing a disaster, and Israeli officials noted that pilots from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, such as Oman, are not allowed to fly to Israel.
What's still unclear
Sources differ on who took control of the aircraft: two other pilots (tienphong.vn) versus a trainee pilot (cafebiz.vn, bartamanpatrika.com and tienphong.vn).