Crash axe used in flydubai attack on pilot
The co-pilot who allegedly attempted to down a flydubai plane had been barred from flying in his home country of Oman. Initial investigations have uncovered the use of a crash axe, a tool typically used in emergencies, in the mid-flight attack.
The co-pilot of a flydubai flight, identified as Hammam al-Hammami, a national from Oman, attempted a terrorist attack mid-flight, according to UAE prosecutors. Al-Hammami, who had been barred from flying in his home country due to possible extremist viewpoints, used a crash axe typically kept for emergencies in the cockpit. The attack was thwarted by passengers and crew, who subdued the co-pilot, allowing the reserve flydubai pilot to take control and land the aircraft safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
Flight FZ1073, carrying over 170 passengers and crew members, experienced a rapid descent of more than 5,000 meters in under 30 seconds over Saudi Arabia. Israeli officials suspect the co-pilot may have been radicalized or suicidal, though a confirmed motive has not been established. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that anyone involved in such an act would face severe consequences. Oman has not yet commented on the incident.
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