UAE says flydubai co-pilot used cockpit crash axe in attempted terrorist attack on FZ1073

AI-generated. This briefing was written by an AI model from published sources and was not reviewed by a person before publication. Check the original sources before relying on it.

Published: October 5, 2026

1 source

Occurred: 2w ago

Updated: October 6, 2026 (1w ago)

First reported by: Reuters

flydubaiBoeingBoeing 737 MAXUAE Attorney General's OfficeOman AirDubai International AirportBen Gurion AirportSaudi ArabiaBoeing 737 MAX 8

In brief

A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 bound for Tel Aviv diverted safely to Saudi Arabia after the first officer attacked the captain with the cockpit crash axe in what the UAE calls an attempted terrorist act.

Sources disagree

Factual claims where reporting sources diverge. Treat with care until confirmed by the primary investigator or regulator.

The weapon used in the attack was initially described as a knife or a stabbing, while UAE authorities and later reporting say it was the flight deck emergency crash axe.
TimeCranky FlierThe GuardianCNBC
The aircraft was reported by one outlet to have plunged more than 17,000 feet in roughly 30 seconds, while the same outlet also referenced a 29,000-feet-per-minute dive.
Archynewsy
The co-pilot's motivation is described by UAE authorities as an attempted terrorist attack, while some terrorism experts cited in reporting are sceptical that ending his own life was the only motive.
CNBCThe Guardian

On 30 September 2026, flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 170 passengers, became the scene of an attempted hijacking when the first officer attacked the captain with the crash axe kept in the flight deck. The aircraft was cruising at 34,000 feet over Saudi Arabia and approaching Israeli airspace when the attack began at about 5:21 a.m. local time. The captain, Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was seriously wounded but managed to unlock the cockpit door. Passengers and off-duty crew pulled the first officer out of the flight deck,…

Sign in to read the full briefing

Create a free account or sign in to unlock the full story. Unlocking uses 1 credit from your plan, and every story you unlock stays unlocked forever.