An Omani co-pilot attempted to crash a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, after attacking the captain with an emergency axe. Passengers and crew subdued the attacker, and two off-duty pilots landed the Boeing 737 safely in Saudi Arabia.
Kill me, kill me!
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox that the attacker shouted these words after being subdued. The violent cockpit struggle aboard flydubai Flight 1073 began on September 30, 2026, as the aircraft flew toward Israel with 174 passengers and six crew members on board.
Co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami struck Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe, inflicting wounds before the pilot managed to fight back and unlock the cockpit door, according to reports detailing the minute-by-minute account. Data from the Flightradar website shows the aircraft climbed to a cruising altitude of 34,000 ft. and later lost altitude at 5:21 a.m. local time.
Meir Zohar, the father of passenger Ido Zohar, told AFP that his son had sent a text message stating he was okay, though he had no further information.
Passengers and flight attendants rushed forward to overpower the attacker. Two off-duty pilots seated in the cabin stepped in to help fly the aircraft, issuing a generic 7700 emergency alert at 9:31 a.m. local time before diverting to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where the aircraft touched down.
Intelligence Links Attacker to Suicide Mission
Israeli intelligence and security sources indicate that al-Hammami acted as a lone wolf rather than under orders from a nation or terrorist group. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CBS News that the co-pilot’s motives are still unknown. President Trump suggested Thursday that the co-pilot may be linked to Iran based on what he was hearing, noting they were working on it right now.
According to Channel 12, officials are looking into whether the plane was the target of a suicide attempt by one of the pilots, which was apparently stopped by the intervention of the other pilot.
Intelligence reports revealed that al-Hammami planned to steer the jet into Ben Gurion Airport or a Tel Aviv skyscraper. After his initial axe assault failed to kill the captain, he attempted to put the plane into a nose dive and tried to shut off both engines to prevent anyone from stabilizing the aircraft. Hamam al-Hammami was identified as the man who tried to bring the plane down after attacking the pilot.
Oman Air Screening Reveals Prior Radicalism
Before joining flydubai in February, al-Hammami worked as a pilot for Oman Air, where government surveillance discovered he showed too much interest in radical ideology. Omani authorities removed him from flying duties, placed him in a deradicalization program, and transferred him to a desk job.
Emirati authorities launched an investigation into flydubai staff responsible for the hiring process. Israeli intelligence representatives traveled to the United Arab Emirates to participate in the ongoing investigation.
Passengers Subdue Attacker During Dive
The Boeing 737 plummeted nearly 16,000 feet in 30 seconds. Passenger Yaniv Hayun recounted rushing to the front after hearing screams and realizing the cockpit was under attack. I grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold and pulled him out,
Hayun told Ynetnews, adding that the attacker had tried to destroy flight instruments.
Hayun met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport with his shirt still stained with blood from the cockpit struggle, telling the prime minister he has an aviation background. Citing Israeli intelligence, a previous report from the Italian Corriere della Sera stated that al-Hammami’s intention was to crash into a skyscraper.
Israeli dentist Musaev Shota helped bind the suspect’s hands and legs while providing emergency medical treatment to Captain Machchhar, who was bleeding heavily from his wounds. Lital Hirschl-Shahar gathered her four young daughters in the cabin, telling them to pray as the plane dropped rapidly. Hirschl-Shahar told The Post that it all happened so fast and the plane just started dropping down.
We needed a miracle, and I couldn’t help but think, ‘Is this how you’re going to die?
Lital Hirschl-Shahar, passenger
All 174 passengers, including 27 children, eventually returned to Israel aboard a replacement flydubai aircraft later that day, while investigators continued questioning al-Hammami in the United Arab Emirates.
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