The United Arab Emirates has formally classified the cockpit assault aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 as an attempted terrorist act, Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi announced on Saturday — the investigation’s most explicit official finding yet about the September 30 mid-air attack in which the co-pilot struck Captain Smit Machchhar with the cockpit’s emergency crash axe and tried to seize the controls of the Dubai-bound-to-Tel-Aviv jet.
According to a statement carried by the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the investigation revealed that the co-pilot “began executing his plan during the flight,” attacking the captain inside the flight deck with the crash axe — a standard piece of emergency equipment kept in cockpits — and attempting to take control of the aircraft.
What the attorney-general announced
Al Shamsi said investigators had established that the co-pilot launched a planned attack mid-flight, as The National reported. The attorney-general said inquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances, the motive, and any links connected to the incident, alongside technical examinations and analysis of physical and digital evidence. Final results will be announced once all procedures are complete, he said.
The ruling goes significantly further than the UAE’s earlier position. Two days prior, authorities had said only that they were investigating whether the incident was linked to “any terrorist activity or purpose or involved prior planning or direction,” according to the Khaleej Times. Saturday’s statement answers that question: investigators now say it was both planned and terrorist in nature.
What happened aboard flight FZ1073
Flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, when the altercation erupted in the cockpit over Saudi airspace. The Boeing 737 was carrying 172 passengers and crew, most of them Israeli nationals, according to The National. During the struggle the aircraft plunged more than 14,000 feet before a reserve pilot helped bring it under control and diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Despite sustaining serious injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to storm in and overpower the co-pilot, The National reported. (Read our earlier coverage of the attack here.)
The co-pilot: what is known — and what isn’t
The co-pilot has been identified by the Associated Press, citing three people familiar with the investigation, as Hamam al-Hammami, 29, an Omani national. The UAE has not publicly confirmed his identity, and Oman has issued no public statement on the case, according to Reuters and AP.
What has emerged about his background comes from sourced reporting rather than official confirmation. CNN, citing two sources, reported that al-Hammami was removed from a pilot-training role at Oman Air over alleged extremist views — a detail first reported by the Wall Street Journal. ABC News reported he had been flagged as a security concern as early as 2024 after extremist material was allegedly found. A deleted LinkedIn profile reviewed by outlets showed roughly seven years at Oman Air ending in February 2025, a stint at Royal Air Maroc from June 2025 to January 2026, an aviation-management degree from Buckinghamshire New University in 2023, and about eight months at Flydubai, according to Onmanorama.
The background raises questions about Flydubai’s vetting and about pilot-security protocols on Israel-bound flights, given that Israel and Oman have no diplomatic relations, AP noted.
“Probably acted alone,” Israeli sources say
In the newest development, CNN reported on October 4 that Israeli sources believe the co-pilot “probably acted alone,” saying Israel currently knows of no link between the suspect and any group or government — though both sources stressed this reflects their understanding so far. The UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry are all investigating.
Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News on Thursday that the suspect had “undergone Islamist radical indoctrination,” citing what he described as personal information emerging from the ongoing questioning, without providing details. US President Donald Trump suggested a possible Iran link “based on what I’m hearing,” again without details, according to CNN. Neither claim has been corroborated by investigators.
A captain hailed as a hero
Captain Machchhar, recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, has been widely praised. He spoke by phone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed — telling him, according to the Deccan Herald, that “I kept reciting Hanuman Chalisa” during the attack. Netanyahu publicly praised the captain, as did Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, who commended his “courage and responsibility.” Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith thanked the crew and passengers, the General Civil Aviation Authority commended everyone involved, and senior UAE official Anwar Gargash called Machchhar a hero.
What happens next
No criminal charges had been announced as of Sunday, with the investigation still establishing the motive and whether the co-pilot acted alone or with direction or support from anyone else. Flydubai has suspended its flights to and from Israel following the incident, according to Xinhua via CGTN. The UAE’s foreign ministry has clarified that the case falls under UAE jurisdiction, citing the aircraft’s registration and Emirati flag — UAE law applies to crimes committed aboard even outside the country’s territory, the Khaleej Times reported.
Frequently asked questions
What did the UAE attorney-general say about the Flydubai incident?
On October 3, Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigations revealed the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 “attempted to carry out a terrorist act,” attacking the captain with the cockpit’s crash axe and trying to seize the aircraft’s controls, according to WAM.
Who is the co-pilot accused in the Flydubai attack?
The Associated Press, citing three anonymous sources, identified him as Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. The UAE has not officially confirmed his identity. CNN reported he had previously been removed from an Oman Air pilot-training role over alleged extremist views.
What happened on Flydubai flight FZ1073?
On September 30, during a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight with 172 people aboard, the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency crash axe and tried to take the controls. The jet plunged more than 14,000 feet before a reserve pilot diverted it to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Has anyone been charged over the Flydubai cockpit attack?
Not as of Sunday, October 4. The UAE investigation is continuing into the motive, any links, and technical and digital evidence, with final results to be announced on completion, the attorney-general said.
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