The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has described the attack on Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flydubai flight as an attempted terrorist act. Investigators said the aircraft’s co-pilot, Hamam Al Hamami, attacked the captain with a crash axe inside the cockpit before trying to take control of the plane.
According to the UAE state news agency WAM, Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the investigation had found that the co-pilot carried out the attack while the aircraft was in the air. Authorities are continuing to investigate his motive and possible links to others.
The incident took place on September 30 aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The attack triggered an emergency after the aircraft suddenly began losing altitude.
How Captain Smit Machchhar helped prevent a possible crash
According to reports, the Boeing 737 was flying at around 34,000 feet when the incident occurred. The aircraft then began a sudden descent, losing thousands of feet in a short period.
During the emergency, Captain Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot as he tried to stop him from taking control of the aircraft. Despite being injured, the Indian pilot managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and overpower the attacker.
Two other flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft then helped bring the situation under control and land the plane safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
What is a crash axe and why is it kept in the cockpit?
A crash axe is a tool carried on certain commercial aircraft for use by flight crew during emergencies. It can help crew members cut through or remove parts of the aircraft’s interior when access is needed during an emergency.
The tool is generally stored in a secured location, often in or near the cockpit, depending on the aircraft and applicable safety requirements. Its purpose is to help crew members respond to emergencies, not to be used as a weapon.
The use of a crash axe in this incident has raised questions about cockpit security and how the co-pilot was able to access the equipment and attack the captain.
Investigation underway into co-pilot’s motive
UAE authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the attack, including its motive and any possible connections. Investigators are also reviewing physical and digital evidence as part of the probe.
Reports have raised questions about the co-pilot’s professional background and whether there had been earlier concerns about him. These details remain subject to investigation and should be treated with caution until confirmed by the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi has ordered the formation of a special team to investigate the incident and examine whether it was linked to terrorism or any extremist motive.
According to a statement from the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the team will include specialists from the Public Prosecution. It will look into the circumstances surrounding the attack and establish what led to the incident.
The UAE has also thanked Saudi Arabian authorities for their support and for handling the situation.
About Hamam Al Hamami
Media reports have claimed that Hamam Al Hamami was earlier stopped from flying in Oman over concerns about his alleged extremist views. Reports also suggest that he spent considerable time outside Oman, including in Syria, where he may have come into contact with extremist ideas before moving to the UAE. These claims have not been independently confirmed.
According to CNN, Al Hamami had been working with flydubai for around eight months. A LinkedIn profile that was later deleted and was reportedly linked to him stated that he had worked for Oman Air for seven years before leaving in February 2025.
The profile reportedly showed that he joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and left the airline in January 2026. He later moved to flydubai.
Reports also claimed that the deleted LinkedIn profile shared two posts related to terrorism within about nine hours of the incident involving the flydubai flight.
One of the posts reportedly featured several video clips filmed inside the cockpit of a Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. In the footage, the person recording the video appeared to zoom in on an aircraft operated by Israeli airline El Al.
The video reportedly ended with images of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former al-Qaeda leader who took over the group after Osama bin Laden, and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in 2009 that killed nine people, including US personnel.
Another post reportedly showed an artificial intelligence-generated image of Islam’s three holiest sites: the Kaaba in Mecca, the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.
CNN also reported that a poem playing in the background included references to refusing humiliation, having no fear of death and protecting one’s dignity.
In a separate report, CNN said Al Hamami’s now-deleted X account presented him as a deeply religious person with views described as misogynistic. Other media reports quoted a former colleague who allegedly described him as a religious extremist.
However, UAE authorities are still investigating the incident, and the claims about Al Hamami’s background, beliefs and possible motives remain allegations until established by the investigation.
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