Flydubai attack puts pilot vetting under scrutiny as Israel flights stay suspended

Seriously wounded on the cockpit floor, Captain Smit Machchhar could feel his aircraft falling. He told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others to enter and overpower the co-pilot accused of attacking him. Two reserve pilots aboard the Dubai–Tel Aviv flight then brought the jet safely to Saudi Arabia. Now, with Flydubai’s Israel services still suspended, investigators face questions about the attack and the accused pilot’s background, according to Al Jazeera.

The flight, FZ1073, was carrying 174 people. UAE authorities said the co-pilot attacked Machchhar, an Indian national, with an emergency crash axe and tried to seize the aircraft’s controls. The axe is carried in the cockpit to help pilots cut through parts of the aircraft in an emergency. On Saturday, UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi described the incident as a terrorist act. Authorities have not publicly established a motive or said whether the suspect acted alone.

Questions about an earlier warning

Three people familiar with the situation, including a Gulf diplomat and a Western diplomat, identified the accused co-pilot to AP as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national. They spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly. Al Jazeera noted that neither his identity nor his beliefs had been officially confirmed.

The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources, reported that Oman had previously barred the accused pilot from flying because of concerns about alleged extremist views. CNN separately cited a regional diplomatic source who said he had been removed from flight training over similar concerns and moved to another role. The reports leave important gaps: what those alleged views were, and whether Oman shared its concerns with other countries or airlines, remain unclear.

CNN also reported that a LinkedIn profile carrying al-Hammami’s name listed seven years at Oman Air, ending in February 2025, followed by a period at Royal Air Maroc from June 2025 to January 2026. That reported employment history has added to questions about his career before joining Flydubai and the checks surrounding his recruitment.

A sharp descent, then a diversion

Flight-tracking data cited by Al Jazeera showed the aircraft departing Dubai on Wednesday and reaching 34,000 feet. A little over two hours later, it began a rapid descent, losing more than 17,000 feet in roughly two minutes before climbing and descending again. Machchhar later recounted his struggle to reach the cockpit door while speaking to Modi from a hospital in Abu Dhabi.

“When I was down, I could feel that the aircraft was plummeting, and I knew this is the last chance to do something,” Machchhar said.

Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, and the aircraft eventually stabilised at about 15,000 feet. Its transponder, which sends identification signals, was switched to code 7500 to indicate unlawful interference. The reserve pilots landed the jet in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were hospitalised and later transferred to Abu Dhabi after receiving medical clearance.

Abu Dhabi is leading the investigation. Al-Shamsi said UAE jurisdiction applies because the aircraft is registered in the country, even when an alleged crime occurs abroad. Prosecutors are examining physical and digital evidence, possible planning and any links to others. With Flydubai flights to Israel still suspended, the next developments to watch are the investigation’s findings on motive, connections and the circumstances of the attack. Authorities say final results will follow once the necessary procedures are complete.