The United Arab Emirates on Saturday said the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a terrorist act after attacking the Indian captain with a crash axe and trying to take control of the aircraft during its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot launched the attack inside the cockpit and attempted to seize control of the aircraft's flight controls. His statement, carried by the Emirates News Agency (WAM), was the first official UAE description of the incident as an attempted terrorist act.
The co-pilot has been identified by multiple news organisations as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national. Israeli and Saudi sources have also confirmed the identification, although the UAE authorities had not officially named him at the time of the initial reports.
Investigation focuses on motive and possible links
Al Shamsi said the investigation was continuing to establish the full circumstances of the incident, determine the suspect's motives and examine whether there were any related connections.
Authorities are also examining physical and digital evidence collected as part of the investigation. The UAE prosecutor general said the final findings would be announced after all necessary investigative and technical procedures are completed.
The case is being examined by authorities in several countries. Israeli officials have said Israeli investigators will participate alongside Emirati authorities, with the inquiry expected to examine both the incident itself and the co-pilot's background and possible motive.
Saudi authorities initially detained the co-pilot after the aircraft made its emergency landing in Tabuk. The wider investigation is now also examining how he was able to serve as a commercial pilot and gain access to the cockpit of a flight bound for Israel.
What Netanyahu has said about the co-pilot
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel was examining whether the co-pilot had acted on instructions from another person or organisation, warning that those found to be involved would face a severe response.
A day earlier, Netanyahu said the Omani national had undergone what he described as radical Islamist indoctrination and appeared suicidal. He stressed, however, that a definitive motive had not yet been established.
More recent reports have raised questions about al-Hammami's earlier career. The Indian Express, citing CNN and other reporting, said he had previously been flagged as a security concern in Oman and that Oman had banned him from flying amid concerns about radical ideological views. It also reported that he subsequently joined flydubai. These details remain part of the wider investigation into his background.
Other reports have examined social-media material allegedly linked to al-Hammami, including posts reflecting extremist or highly conservative views. Such material is being scrutinised by investigators as they assess his background and possible motivation.
Attack unfolded at cruising altitude
Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with more than 170 people aboard, most of them Israeli nationals.
Around two hours into the flight, while the Boeing 737 was flying over Saudi Arabia at roughly 33,000 to 34,000 feet, the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit.
The attack involved the emergency crash axe kept in the cockpit for use during emergencies. According to the UAE prosecutor general, the co-pilot used the axe to attack Machchhar before attempting to take control of the aircraft.
Machchhar sustained serious injuries but managed to open the cockpit door and obtain assistance. Passengers and crew members entered the flight deck and helped restrain the attacker.
The aircraft then went into a rapid descent. Flight-tracking data showed the plane losing more than 16,000 feet in a short period while it was over Saudi Arabia. Reuters reported that the aircraft plunged more than 16,000 feet in just over 30 seconds.
Passengers and crew helped regain control
After the cockpit door was opened, passengers, crew members and reserve pilots helped subdue the co-pilot and stabilise the aircraft.
The flight was diverted to north-western Saudi Arabia and eventually made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk.
All passengers and crew members survived.
The National reported that Machchhar's actions helped save the lives of the people aboard the aircraft, while flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith praised the crew and passengers who assisted during the emergency. He also thanked Saudi authorities for their response after the diversion.
Flydubai has said that the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation and that it is cooperating fully with the relevant authorities. The airline has declined to comment further while the official investigation continues.
Captain Smit Machchhar praised for his actions
Machchhar has received praise from political leaders in both India and Israel for his actions during the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Machchhar and his family following the attack and praised the Indian pilot's courage and presence of mind.
Machchhar also spoke to Modi from hospital after the incident. According to The National, he described fighting for his life while also recognising that he needed to act to protect the people aboard the aircraft.
The incident has also prompted renewed scrutiny of pilot recruitment, background checks and cockpit security, particularly after reports that the co-pilot had previously attracted security concerns in Oman. Investigators are examining how those concerns, if established, were handled and whether they had any bearing on his subsequent employment as a commercial pilot.
The UAE authorities have not yet disclosed a final determination of the co-pilot's motive or whether he had links to any organisation. Those questions remain part of the ongoing investigation.