Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted after co‑pilot attacks captain with axe
Written by AI from 8 reports listed below. Not checked by a person before publication. How we use AI
On 30 September 2026, flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was attacked in the cockpit when the 29‑year‑old Omani co‑pilot struck Captain Smit Machchhar on the back of the head with an emergency crash axe, causing the captain to lose consciousness repeatedly and sustain a hand injury.
The captain managed to open the locked cockpit door, allowing another pilot, cabin crew and passengers to intervene and restrain the attacker; the aircraft then plunged about 17,000 feet before the crew regained control and diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where all 172 passengers and crew survived.
The co‑pilot was taken into custody in the UAE and faces terrorism charges, with authorities saying he had planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport’s passenger terminal.
Analysed 8 reports from 8 publishers
Used in this story
- vanguardngr.com
- livemint.com
- indiatimes.com
- gulfnews.com
- rediff.com
- tribuneindia.com
- ynetnews.com
- thenationalnews.com