UAE launches flydubai hijacking and terrorism investigation
UAE prosecutors ordered a criminal probe as investigators examine possible terrorist links and the motive behind the attack on a flight carrying 174 people.
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, a FlyDubai co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar aboard Flight FZ1073 as it approached Israel, triggering a rapid descent before passengers and crew subdued the attacker and forced an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- Omani national Hamam al-Hammami is under investigation to determine if he acted alone or had terrorist motives; authorities are scrutinizing his background, including his dismissal from Oman's national airline last year.
- The suspect allegedly attacked Machchhar with the cockpit's crash axe, a "weapon of last resort," before passengers intervened as the plane plummeted nearly 17,000 feet in under a minute.
- FlyDubai suspended all flights to and from Israel following the incident, while UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi formed a specialized prosecution team to determine whether the attack involved terrorist activity or prior planning.
- Officials are re-evaluating pilot vetting protocols after reports that dozens of Omani pilots previously flew into Israel despite rules barring crews from nations without diplomatic ties, exposing significant gaps in international aviation screening.
454 Articles
454 Articles
At first it seemed as if the heroism of the FlyDubai passengers could use Benjamin Netanyahu in the election campaign. Instead, the prevented assassination again reveals gaps in Israel's supposedly complete security architecture.
The Media Line: Flydubai Flight Nearly Shot Down by Israel in Response to Suspected 9/11-Style Attack, Report Says - Regional Media News
Flydubai Flight Nearly Shot Down by Israel in Response to Suspected 9/11-Style Attack, Report Says By The Media Line Staff Israel prepared to shoot down flydubai Flight 1073 with its passengers aboard after the Omani co-pilot attacked the captain and the aircraft plunged sharply, prompting [...]
The Israeli Air Force was prepared to shoot down the Flydubai aircraft after the second pilot attacked the captain, even though 150 citizens were on board, as CBS News reported to two Israeli sources familiar with the situation.
Israel was prepared to shoot down FlyDubai Flight 1073 during Wednesday's attempted hijacking, despite more than 150 Israelis aboard the passenger jet. CBS News reported on Monday, citing two Israeli sources “privy to the situation.”
Israel apparently has a protocol for shooting down passenger planes if it believes they will be used in an attack.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 36% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
