Dubai (Rajeev Sharma): The United Arab Emirates has described the mid-air attack aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 as an attempted “terrorist” act, saying the co-pilot assaulted Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and tried to seize control of the aircraft.
The UAE prosecutor general said the incident occurred inside the cockpit while the Boeing 737 was travelling from Dubai towards Tel Aviv. The statement marks the first time Emirati authorities have publicly characterised the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.
The co-pilot has been identified by sources as Omani national Hammam al-Hammami. UAE authorities have not publicly confirmed his identity. Investigators are examining the circumstances of the confrontation, the suspect’s possible motive and whether anyone else was connected to the incident.
The aircraft, carrying more than 170 people, experienced a dramatic loss of altitude during the confrontation. Flight-tracking data showed the plane dropping from around 34,000 feet to approximately 16,600 feet in a short period before the situation was brought under control.
Machchhar was seriously injured during the struggle but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene. The attacker was eventually restrained, while other pilots travelling on the aircraft helped regain control of the plane.
The flight was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely and the co-pilot was taken into custody by Saudi authorities. Machchhar was also hospitalised following the incident and has been recovering from his injuries.
There had initially been differing accounts about the weapon used during the confrontation. Earlier reports referred to a knife, while the latest statement from the UAE prosecutor general says the captain was attacked with the aircraft’s emergency crash axe.
The investigation is now looking into the suspect’s background, possible motive and whether the attack was planned or directed by others. Israeli officials are also involved in the wider investigation because most passengers on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route were Israeli nationals.
Flydubai has said it is cooperating with authorities and that the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation. The airline has not offered further details while the official probe continues.
