Flydubai FZ1073 Co-Pilot Accused of Terror Attack

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a “terrorist attack” with a crash axe while the aircraft was flying to Israel, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said Saturday.

The co-pilot was identified by Reuters sources as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, although UAE authorities and flydubai have not publicly confirmed his identity.

The incident occurred Wednesday aboard the flight carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, most of them Israeli nationals. UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigators determined that the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.

Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, preventing what Israeli officials described as an apparent attempt to crash the plane. A reserve flydubai pilot traveling aboard FZ1073 subsequently took control and landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the aircraft dropped approximately 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia.

Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot before transferring him to Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The UAE is leading the investigation, with Israeli investigators expected to participate in efforts to establish the suspect’s motives and background.

Al Shamsi said the investigation remains ongoing and authorities will release further findings after completing the necessary procedures. The statement marked the first time Emirati investigators publicly characterized the flydubai incident as an attempted terrorist attack.

Flydubai CEO Ghaith al Ghaith previously described the episode as a “safety incident” inside the cockpit. The airline said Saturday that the circumstances remain under investigation and declined further comment.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said authorities are examining whether the co-pilot acted under another party’s direction. Netanyahu previously claimed the man had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination, while acknowledging that investigators had not yet established a motive.

The investigation is also examining how an Omani pilot was assigned to a Tel Aviv-bound flight, given that Israel and Oman do not maintain official diplomatic relations.