Attempted hijacking of Flydubai plane: Copilot struck captain with an axe, UAE calls it a terrorist attack

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have classified as a “terrorist attack” the incident that occurred on Wednesday aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi told the state-run WAM news agency that the copilot attempted to carry out a terrorist attack during the flight.

According to Israeli authorities, his alleged aim was to crash the plane. However, the investigation is continuing to clarify the circumstances of the incident, the motive, the copilot’s possible connections, and the physical and digital evidence related to the case.

The copilot, identified as Hammam al-Hamami and an Omani national, attacked the captain inside the cockpit using an emergency axe. He then attempted to take control of the aircraft.

Passengers and crew members intervened to neutralize him. Control of the aircraft was taken by a Flydubai reserve pilot who was on board, and he subsequently landed the plane at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The copilot was arrested immediately after landing.

More than 170 passengers were on the plane, most of them Israelis, along with the crew members.

These are the first official reactions from the United Arab Emirates describing the incident as a “terrorist attack.” An Emirati spokesperson said the investigation was still under way and that the company could not provide any further comment.

An Israeli government official announced that Israeli investigators would join the process led by the United Arab Emirates. They are expected to examine the events during the flight, the copilot’s motives, and his background.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was verifying whether the copilot had acted on orders received from third parties. He warned that anyone who may have been connected to the incident would face a “heavy price.”

Netanyahu also said that the copilot, whom he identified as an Omani national, had undergone radical Islamic indoctrination and had attempted to commit suicide. However, he stressed that the ultimate motive for his actions had not yet been determined.

The axe used in the incident is kept in the cockpit as emergency equipment and can be used in various situations, including after a crash.