A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia on September 30, 2026, after the copilot allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe. Authorities are investigating the incident as a potential terrorist act, while Iran has dismissed accusations of involvement as fabricated narratives.
The Attack on Flight FZ1073
Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai for Tel Aviv on the morning of September 30, 2026, carrying over 180 passengers. Data from Flightradar24 shows the aircraft took off at 03:05 GMT. Approximately two hours into the journey, while flying over Jordan at an altitude of 34,000 feet, the flight experienced a violent disruption in the cockpit. According to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi, the copilot, identified in reports as Hamam al-Hammami, attacked the captain, 38-year-old Smit Machchhar, using a standard cockpit emergency axe.
The aircraft underwent extreme altitude fluctuations, dropping roughly 16,625 feet in approximately 30 seconds. At 05:21 GMT, the plane began a sharp descent. The flight crew transmitted an emergency code, signifying a general emergency, while flying near the Saudi-Jordanian border. This later transitioned to code 7500, indicating unlawful interference. Two pilots traveling as passengers intervened, entering the cockpit to help subdue the attacker and stabilize the aircraft. Captain Machchhar, despite suffering severe injuries, remained conscious enough to assist in the operation. The flight eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia at 06:58 GMT.
Investigations into Motive and Alleged 9/11 Parallels
UAE authorities are treating the incident as an attempted terrorist act. Reports from US and Israeli media suggest that the copilot, a citizen of Oman, allegedly intended to fly the Boeing 737 MAX into Ben Gurion Airport or a high-rise building in central Tel Aviv, mimicking the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. Sources suggest the suspect likely acted as a “lone wolf” rather than on behalf of a specific organization. It was further reported that Al-Hammami had previously been dismissed from flight training at Oman Air due to concerns regarding radical views, and was subsequently rejected after a three-month training stint at Royal Air Maroc in 2025.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the captain and the passengers for preventing a disaster comparable to 9/11. Meanwhile, the Australian government confirmed it is investigating the suspect’s potential links to the country, though officials provided no further details regarding the nature of those connections.
Iran Rejects Terrorism Allegations
The Iranian government has strongly denied any connection to the event. Esmaeil Baghaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dismissed the narrative linking Iran to the incident as a carelessly engineered
attempt to shift blame. He stated that the accusations rely on unverified claims, noting, I think even preschoolers understand how clumsily it was designed to create insecurity and blame Iran or other parties. The Iranian position characterizes the incident as a provocation intended to foster regional instability.
Safety and Economic Implications for Dubai
The aviation industry is also analyzing the technical aspects of the flight’s extreme maneuvers. While experts debate the physical stresses placed on the airframe, the focus remains on the actions of the crew and the two pilots who were traveling as passengers. Their identity remains undisclosed, with Flydubai simply referring to them as crew members who were on duty and traveling on the flight. The airline, which operates a fleet including the Boeing 737 MAX, has emphasized its diverse workforce of over 6,000 employees from 144 countries as it faces scrutiny over its internal security and recruitment processes.