The terrifying incident aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has taken an even more serious turn after the United Arab Emirates officially described the episode as an attempted terrorist attack. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigations found that the Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit with the aircraft’s crash axe and then attempted to take control of the plane.
The revelation provides a new picture of the violence that unfolded aboard Flight FZ1073 on September 30. The aircraft, carrying 174 people, was travelling toward Tel Aviv when the co-pilot tried to take control of the plane. The plane subsequently entered a dramatic descent, losing thousands of feet in a short period before the situation was brought under control. Thanks to the courage of Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, with support from some passengers, a catastrophic air tragedy was avoided.
Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, played a crucial role in preventing the incident from becoming a catastrophe. He managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers to enter and confront the attacker. A reserve Flydubai pilot who was travelling as a passenger also helped stabilise the aircraft. The plane was eventually diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
The UAE prosecutor general said investigators are examining the circumstances, motive and any possible connections behind the attack. Authorities are also analysing physical and digital evidence as they attempt to establish exactly what drove the co-pilot’s actions and whether anyone else was involved.
The suspect has been identified by investigators and media reports as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national. His background has also attracted scrutiny. Earlier reports said he had previously been barred from flying in Oman amid concerns about extremist views. The new UAE classification of the Flydubai incident as a terrorist attack is likely to intensify questions about how he subsequently came to be employed as a commercial co-pilot.
For Captain Smit Machchhar, the episode became a battle for survival at 33,000 feet. He was attacked and seriously injured but continued trying to protect the aircraft and its passengers. His decision to open the cockpit door created the opportunity for others to intervene.
What could have become an aviation disaster instead ended with the aircraft safely diverted and the passengers surviving. The UAE’s latest statement now means investigators are treating the episode not simply as an onboard assault or attempted hijacking, but as a potential act of terrorism.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities have yet to publicly establish the full motive or whether the suspect had any wider links. But the new details underline the extraordinary danger faced by Machchhar inside the cockpit, and the decisive role played by passengers and crew in stopping the attack.
