The co-pilot of Flydubai Flight 1073 attacked the captain with a crash axe in the cockpit during a flight to Tel Aviv, in what UAE prosecutors described as an attempted terrorist act. The incident occurred on Wednesday, leading to a struggle on the flight deck. The captain, Smit Machchhar, was stabbed and assaulted before passengers and crew intervened after he unlocked the cabin door.
The aircraft was diverted and landed safely at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Passengers were later transferred to Tel Aviv, while both pilots were flown to Abu Dhabi under UAE security escort. UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi confirmed the co-pilot used the axe to attempt to take control of the plane and said investigations into motives, possible links, and evidence are ongoing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination, though no evidence has been released. Pilots and crew undergo the same security checks as passengers. The crash axe, kept in the cockpit for emergencies, is a heavy one-handed tool used to break glass or aircraft bodywork.
Source: Financial Times Companies · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing