The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a “terrorist” attack during the flight, the United ​Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday (October 3, 2026), according to the state news ‌agency WAM.

The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, ​an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of ⁠the matter told Reuters. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identity.

The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with ‌a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said.

A crash axe is typically ‌kept in the cockpit for use during emergencies such as ‌crashes.

Investigations ⁠are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, ⁠the motives and any related connections, as well as to examine physical and digital evidence, he added.

UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi’s comments were the first by ​Emirati authorities to describe ‌the incident as an attempted “terrorist” attack.

Disaster was averted on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, who had attacked the captain in what Israeli officials said was an apparent attempt to ‌crash the plane carrying more than 170 passengers and crew.

A ​reserve Flydubai pilot travelling on the flight took control of the aircraft and landed it at Tabuk Airport ⁠in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was detained by Saudi authorities.

Flydubai said the circumstances surrounding the incident were still under investigation and that ‌it was not in a position to comment further, a spokesperson said.

An Israeli government official told Reuters earlier that Israeli investigators would take part alongside Emirati authorities in the UAE-led investigation, which would examine what happened as well as the suspect’s motives and background.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday (October 2, 2026) that Israel was looking into ‌whether the co-pilot had acted under anyone’s direction, warning that anyone involved would ​pay a “heavy price”.

Mr. Netanyahu said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the co-pilot, whom he identified as an Omani national, had undergone radical ⁠Islamist indoctrination and appeared suicidal, though he said a motive had not yet ⁠been established. Most of the passengers on board were Israeli nationals.

The aircraft dropped about 16,625 feet in just over ‌30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia on its journey from the UAE to Israel, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24. The ​route is popular among Israeli travellers.

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and allegedly attempted to crash a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on September 30, 2026, has been identified as Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami, according to a U.S. media report.

“The alleged attacker is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami,” the Wall Street Journal report said. He had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his extremist views, multiple media outlets have reported.

Who is Hamam al-Hammami

Hamam al-Hammami was born to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, according to the WSJ report. Scrutiny into the alleged assailant al-Hammami and his motives has intensified after the drama aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv route that officials say narrowly avoided catastrophe.

Al-Hammami was reportedly barred from flying previously by Omani authorities for his radical ideological views, the WSJ reported, quoting people familiar with the matter. The co-pilot was subsequently hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline. It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired in the Emirates.

Al Arabiya, citing an informed source, reported that Omani authorities determined that the co-pilot held extremist views. The broadcaster said he had also spent time in Syria, raising concerns he may have been influenced by radical groups there.

ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, reported the suspect had allegedly been found in possession of extremist materials while he was a trainee.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the suspect had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and had attempted to crash the plane.

A major aviation disaster was averted after ‌passengers and crew of on flydubai flight FZ1073 subdued the co-pilot, who had stabbed captain Machchhar in what was an apparent attempt to crash the plane. The jet, with 174 people on board, plunged nearly 14,000 ft (4,267 m) in less than 30 seconds in the incident.

Israeli officials to question al-Hammami

The co-pilot was detained by Saudi Arabian authorities after the flight landed at the Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The co-pilot was transferred on Thursday (October 1, 2026) to the UAE, where the source said Israeli officials were expected to question him.

An Israeli government official told Reuters that ⁠Israeli investigators would take part in the UAE-led investigation alongside Emirati authorities, seeking to determine what happened and examine the suspect’s motives and background. But which Israeli agency or authority would take part in the questioning is yet to be known.

Meanwhile, Mr. Machchhar is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the UAE. He spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone, recounting the terrifying moments after being attacked. However, he did not disclose what triggered the attack on him or the motive of the co-pilot.

(With inputs from Agencies)

A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv narrowly avoided disaster after one of its pilots allegedly tried to stab his colleague, Indian national Smit Machchhar, sending the aircraft into a steep plunge before it made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The sequence of events was outlined in a video message by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said the co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the pilot had intended to crash the aircraft.

A co-pilot of a flydubai aircraft carrying more than 170 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly stabbed the pilot and attempted to crash the plane. The struggle began when the pilot was stabbed, sending the aircraft plunging nearly 14,000 feet. A possible crash was averted after a passenger and crew members entered the cockpit and managed to stabilise the aircraft.

The jet had plunged more than 14,000 feet (4,300 metres) in less than 30 seconds, reportedly reaching close to the speed of sound. The intervention by the passengers and crew likely helped avert a disaster.

Follow complete coverage of the incident from The Hindu