DUBAI, 5 October — Investigators in the United Arab Emirates are trying to establish why a co-pilot turned on his captain in mid-air. The country’s top prosecutor has described the assault as an attempted terrorist act.
Attorney-General Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on Saturday that the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 struck the captain with the cockpit’s crash axe and tried to take hold of the flight controls. It was the first time Emirati officials had used that language about the 30 September incident. Until then, the airline had spoken only of an “altercation” on the flight deck.
What happened on board
The flydubai Boeing 737 MAX left Dubai International Airport on Wednesday morning bound for Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. Reports say it carried 174 passengers, most of them Israeli. Flight-tracking data showed sharp changes in altitude and an emergency signal before the aircraft diverted to Tabuk Airport in north-western Saudi Arabia. It landed safely.
Passengers described a sudden, violent drop. One traveller told CNN the aircraft fell and appeared to spin slightly. Another, speaking to the BBC, said it first felt like an air pocket until the descent continued and panic spread through the cabin. A third described children screaming.
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was badly wounded. In calls with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said he realised the danger was coming from inside the cockpit only after repeated blows. His vision was fading as the aircraft pitched downward. He still managed to turn the handle and open the cockpit door a second time after the attacker had shut it. That let crew members and passengers rush in.
Witnesses say the co-pilot was pinned down and bound, first with a headphone cord and later with plastic restraints. Flydubai says crew travelling on the flight secured the aircraft and brought it down in Tabuk. The airline has not said which pilot flew the landing.
What officials have said
Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot after the landing and handed him to the UAE. The UAE is leading the investigation, and he remains in custody. Emirati authorities have released no further details about him.
Dr Al Shamsi said the inquiry is examining the full circumstances, the motive and any possible links. Technical analysis and the review of physical and digital evidence are continuing. Final findings will be published once the necessary procedures are complete.
The General Civil Aviation Authority praised the captain, the crew and the passengers for what it called a swift and decisive response. Flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith also thanked them. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed visited Captain Machchhar in hospital in Abu Dhabi. Anwar Gargash, a senior adviser to the UAE president, repeated that the country has zero tolerance for terrorism.
In Israel, Mr Netanyahu said officials were looking into whether the co-pilot acted on anyone’s instructions. A government spokesman said Israeli investigators would join their Emirati counterparts.
Disruption to Israel services
Flydubai has suspended all flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues, and Emirates has paused its codeshare services on the Dubai–Tel Aviv route. The airline says it will review the decision as more information becomes available. Gulf News reported that Tel Aviv services, including those operated with Arkia, were again cancelled from Dubai on Monday.
Direct UAE–Israel flights began in 2020 after the Abraham Accords. Israeli carriers have cancelled scheduled services, and some Israelis have been stranded in the UAE. Flydubai has told affected passengers they can rebook within 30 days.
What remains unknown
Several central questions are still open. Authorities have not said what motivated the attack or whether anyone else was involved. They have also not said whether crew screening or cockpit procedures will change.
For now, the available picture rests on official statements and the accounts of those on board. The UAE has said further announcements will follow when its work is complete. Next Article
