UAE says Flydubai co-pilot radicalised in Australia before Tel Aviv crash plot

Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe kept in the cockpit and tried to seize control of the aircraft, according to investigators.

More than 170 people were on board, most of them Israeli. The Boeing 737, operating as a Flydubai service, left Dubai International Airport in the early hours. About two hours into the flight, as it headed towards Israel, the aircraft entered a steep dive. Flight tracking data showed it fell about 17,000 feet in under two minutes, with some reports saying it dropped around 14,000 feet in 30 seconds. It later sent a general emergency code, 7700, followed by 7500, the code for unlawful interference or hijacking.

The captain, identified as Indian national Smit Machar, was badly injured. He had been attacked by the co-pilot, later named in media reports as Hamam al-Hamami, a 29-year-old Omani national. The UAE prosecutor general said the weapon was a small crash axe stored in the cockpit for emergencies, not the knife described in early passenger accounts. Despite his injuries, Captain Machar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to enter.

Passengers described chaos and fear. One said the plane dropped like a rollercoaster. Another said people rushed to the front after shouts and screams. Video from on board showed bloodied pilots and a passenger saying the attackers had been overpowered. Israeli passengers and crew restrained the co-pilot. Two relief pilots who were travelling on the flight then took the controls and landed the plane at Tabuk Airport. Saudi and Israeli fighter jets were reportedly scrambled during the emergency.

All passengers were reported safe and later flown back to Israel, where they were greeted by families and by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said the captain had prevented a catastrophic mid-air disaster, describing the plot as a potential 9/11 style attack. Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, called it an attempted jihadist terror attack. The UAE initially treated it as a security incident but later described it as a terrorist operation.

Investigators have focused on the co-pilot's background. Reports say he had been barred from flying by Oman Air over concerns about extremist views and possession of extremist material. He had studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017, and Australian counter-terrorism police are examining whether he was radicalised there. He also completed a distance learning course in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK, the university said, without undertaking pilot training there.

The UAE, which is leading the investigation, says the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport or a high-rise building in Tel Aviv. Israeli intelligence agencies, including Shin Bet and Mossad, are involved in questioning him. Investigators are still trying to establish whether he acted alone or had support from a group or state. Netanyahu said it was too early to say whether Iran was involved. Questions remain about how he passed vetting and was allowed to fly a route into Israel, especially as Oman does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.

Captain Machar has given his first public account from hospital in Abu Dhabi. In a video call with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said he was fighting for his life but knew he could not let others die. He described how he opened the door despite being attacked. Modi praised his courage and quick thinking. The Indian government has confirmed his identity and said he is recovering.

Israel has said it will increase security checks on pilots flying into the country. Flydubai flights to Israel have been reported suspended. The incident has also entered Israel's election campaign, where security is a central issue. For the passengers, the immediate ordeal ended with a safe landing and a return home, but investigations into the attack and its motive are continuing.