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Flydubai flight diverts to Saudi Arabia following cockpit attack

What happened

Flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying over 170 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30 after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe.

During the cockpit struggle, the aircraft reportedly plunged nearly 14,000 feet in 30 seconds before passengers and crew members intervened to subdue the co-pilot.

The co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia, and UAE authorities have ordered an investigation into the incident regarding potential terror links, intent, and prior planning.

Why it matters

Israeli officials have characterized the incident as an attempted terror attack, with reports suggesting the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport; however, this specific plot has not been independently confirmed.

Context

The pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, is a former SpiceJet training captain with extensive experience on the Boeing 737 Max aircraft involved in the incident.

Reports indicate the co-pilot had been previously fired from Oman Air, the flag carrier of Oman, due to alleged extremist views.

Sources 23 sources

This briefing cites 19 publishers across 19 detected independent reporting streams. Some cited articles appear to be syndicated or near-duplicate coverage, so they are not counted as separate corroboration.