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The UAE attorney general said Flydubai Flight FZ1073’s co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. The plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and landed safely after passengers and crew intervened and reserve pilots took control. The co-pilot has been identified in reporting as an Omani national—not a UAE national—but authorities had not publicly confirmed his identity or established a motive as of October 3, 2026.
What happened on Flydubai Flight FZ1073?
FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. The UAE attorney general said the co-pilot attacked the captain with the cockpit crash axe and attempted to take control. UAE authorities characterized the alleged act as a terrorist attack; that official characterization does not settle the still-investigated questions of motive or planning.
Associated Press reported that 182 people were aboard. The captain and co-pilot were injured. Passengers and crew intervened, and reserve pilots aboard took control of the aircraft before it landed safely at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
How did the aircraft’s flight change?
According to an Associated Press timeline based on flight-tracking records, the aircraft descended from 34,000 feet to 16,600 feet in about 90 seconds, later reaching 15,000 feet. AP also reported that the crew first used emergency squawk code 7700 and then 7500, the code for unlawful interference. These figures describe this flight’s reported timeline, not typical aircraft behavior or a general safety measure.
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Who is the co-pilot identified in reports?
AP, citing three people familiar with the matter—including Gulf and Western diplomats who spoke anonymously—identified the accused as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national. Al Jazeera likewise reported that his identity had not been officially confirmed. The name and nationality should therefore be treated as reported identification, not a public confirmation by UAE authorities.
AP reported that Royal Air Maroc said al-Hammami completed a three-month theoretical training period in 2025 but was not selected for employment. Buckinghamshire New University said he completed a distance-learning aviation-management course and did not undertake pilot training there. Those statements cover only those specific programs; they do not establish his complete qualifications or employment history. Reports about alleged extremist views have not provided detailed substantiation, and the investigation had not publicly established a motive or whether anyone else was connected.
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Was the captain trained in New Zealand?
The reports reviewed identify Captain Smit Machchhar as Indian, but do not establish that he trained in New Zealand. The claim in the original headline that the co-pilot was from the UAE also conflicts with reporting that describes him as Omani. Neither detail should be presented as confirmed fact on the available information.
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As of October 3, the UAE attorney general said authorities were examining the incident’s circumstances and motive, possible connections, and physical and digital evidence. Final findings had not been announced. The allegation about the cockpit assault and the authorities’ terrorist-attack characterization are distinct from conclusions about why it happened, whether it was planned with others, and whether additional circumstances will be established.
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