Flydubai

Channels reported that a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was the subject of an attack by its co-pilot earlier in the week. BBC ONE West and Sky News said UAE prosecutors described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack and said the co-pilot attacked the captain with an axe. Sky News reported that the suspect was identified by the UAE as Omani national Hamam al-Hamami, aged 29, and that he had been extradited from Saudi Arabia to the UAE, where he was being questioned. BBC ONE West reported that media outlets had named the suspect as Hamam al Hamami, an Omani national, while saying this had not come from official sources. Both channels said the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia and that the UAE was leading the investigation. The captain, Indian pilot Smeet Machar, gave an account to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to BBC ONE West, describing fighting to open the cockpit door after being wounded. BBC ONE West reported that passengers, including two reserve pilots, helped stabilise the plane, and that plumber Yaniv Hayoun pulled on the controls to stop a nosedive. Sky News also reported that reserve pilots made the plane safe. Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, characterised the incident as a terror attack and said it could have become a disaster on the scale of 9/11, according to BBC ONE West and Sky News. Sky News reported that Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz called it jihadi-style, that Shin Bet agents would have access to the suspect, and that Mossad would also be involved. Both channels raised questions about how the co-pilot became a first officer for a UAE carrier. Sky News reported that he had trained as a pilot in Oman and had reportedly been barred there from flying because of extremist views. BBC ONE West reported that his internet and pilot history showed jihadist leanings, while saying Oman had not confirmed this. Sky News reported that the UAE had initially described the matter as a security incident before later calling it a terrorist incident. Both channels said investigators were examining whether the suspect acted alone or had outside support.

Key Claims by Channel

Thursday 1 October 2026

Claim
Reported by all 2 channels
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was attacked by its co-pilot, who stabbed the captain and attempted to seize control or crash the plane.	Reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
The captain, an Indian national, opened the cockpit door despite being stabbed, allowing others to subdue the attacker.	Reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
The aircraft plunged thousands of feet before other pilots took over and made a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.	Reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
The co-pilot was reported to have undergone recent Islamist radicalisation, according to Israel.	Reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
The co-pilot was an Omani national, contrary to an agreement that flight crew come from countries with diplomatic ties with Israel.	Reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
Broadcasters reported claims that the co-pilot was suicidal and likely intended to down the plane, and that he called on air crew to kill him.	Reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
Only on one channel
The co-pilot was arrested after the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.	Not reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
All 180 people on board flight FZ 1073 survived.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
Authorities in Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE investigated the attack, including whether it had links to terrorism or was pre-planned and what the motive was.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
Israel's prime minister said it was too soon to say whether Iran had been involved.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
Israeli officials said the co-pilot had previously talked about killing Jews on social media, though evidence had yet to be presented.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
Israel's government said a second 9/11 was averted.	Not reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
Israel's president said he would recommend heroism awards for four Israeli passengers.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
Flydubai flights into Israel had been suspended.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
Opponents said the incident represented another security lapse.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
India's prime minister Narendra Modi praised the captain as a hero.	Reported by Channel 4	Not reported by ITV
The captain's former trainer described the captain as the best person to handle a crisis.	Not reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV
A passenger reported believing they were going to die and said she embraced her family and prayed.	Not reported by Channel 4	Reported by ITV

Friday 2 October 2026

Claim
Reported by a few · 2 channels
An Indian pilot was attacked by his co-pilot on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel/Tel Aviv; the attacker was described as an Omani pilot who planned to bring the plane down and used an axe or stabbing.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Channel 4
The pilot described forcing open the cockpit door while bleeding so passengers could stop the attack, and said he fought to save the passengers on board.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Channel 4
There were 174 people on board the aircraft.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Channel 4
The pilot spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised his courage and quick thinking; reports described a hospital-bed conversation in Abu Dhabi or a video call.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Channel 4
The pilot was named as Captain Schmidt Matcha by BBC ONE West and Captain Smit Mishra by Channel 4.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Channel 4
Only on one channel
The plane descended nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Channel 4
Passengers and crew overpowered the co-pilot, and two relief pilots landed the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Channel 4
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the incident, saying the co-pilot may have been suicidal and intended to bring the plane down, and that the captain and passengers prevented another 9/11.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Channel 4
The attacker was in the UAE, and Israel, which has diplomatic relations with the UAE, would want to be involved in questioning him.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Channel 4
Images showed the pilot covered in blood and stabbed several times.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Channel 4

Saturday 3 October 2026

Claim
Reported by a few · 2 channels
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was attacked by its co-pilot on Wednesday while carrying 170 passengers; UAE prosecutors said he attacked the captain with an axe in an attempted terrorist attack, and investigators later said a crash axe was used.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
The suspect was named as Omani national Hamam al-Hamami, aged 29.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Passengers and crew, including two reserve pilots, subdued the co-pilot and helped stabilise the plane.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
The co-pilot was extradited from Saudi Arabia to the UAE and questioned there, with the captain also transferred.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Investigators were examining whether the attacker, who reportedly underwent Islamist radicalisation and intended to crash the plane, acted alone or had outside support.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Reports said the suspect trained as a pilot in Oman and had extremist or jihadist leanings, though Oman had not confirmed this.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
The UAE is leading the investigation, with Israel also having input and possible involvement by Shin Bet and Mossad.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Only on one channel
The aircraft turned round and landed at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.	Not reported by BBC News	Not reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
The UAE initially called the incident a security incident and later described it as a terrorist incident or attack in the skies.	Not reported by BBC News	Not reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident was a terror attack.	Not reported by BBC News	Not reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz called the incident jihadi-style.	Not reported by BBC News	Not reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
Captain Smeet Machar, an Indian pilot, described fighting to open the cockpit door after being wounded in a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Sky News
Modi told the captain his courage, patience and quick decision-making saved lives.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Sky News
Plumber Yaniv Hayoun pulled on the controls to stop the plane's nosedive.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Sky News
Netanyahu said Yaniv Hayoun and his companions prevented a disaster on the scale of 9/11.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Sky News
The crash axe was legitimately onboard and would have been inside the cockpit on a 737 MAX, so the co-pilot had access to it.	Not reported by BBC News	Not reported by BBC One	Reported by Sky News
A former airline captain said crash axes are carried in cockpits for emergency escape and questioned whether they should remain.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Sky News
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash tweeted about extremism and said the confrontation had not ended.	Not reported by BBC News	Reported by BBC One	Not reported by Sky News

This is a cross-channel consensus summary, not an objective account. Consensus can be uniformly wrong, or omit what only one channel covered.