{
  "id": 11457677,
  "title": "UAE official says flydubai attack 'terrorist act' as he praises pilot",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/uae-official-says-flydubai-attack-terrorist-act-as-he-praises-pilot",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-02T14:19:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40442365/uae-official-says-flydubai-attack-terrorist-act-as-he-praises-pilot"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "DUBAI: A senior UAE official declared the recent incident on a flydubai flight to Israel as a \"terrorist act\" on Friday, heaping praise on the pilot who managed to prevent the plane from crashing after being assaulted by his co-pilot. Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash praised Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, as a \"true hero\" who deserved \"every appreciation\" for his courageous actions. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, was compelled to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia following the stabbing of the pilot by his co-pilot. The motive behind the attack and the full details of the incident are currently under investigation in the United Arab Emirates, where both men have been transferred. In his initial public statements since the incident, Machchhar revealed that he had made one final effort to unlock the cockpit door during the assault, enabling passengers and crew to regain control of the aircraft. The flight primarily consisted of Israeli passengers and included eight crew members. Gargash cautioned that vigilance and caution remain crucial in the face of the dangers posed by extremism and terrorism.",
  "summary": "DUBAI: A senior UAE official said Friday that the incident aboard a flydubai flight to Israel this week was a “terrorist act”, praising the captain who helped stop the plane from crashing after he was attacked by his co-pilot. Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on X that Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was a “true hero” and deserved “every appreciation”. “In confronting a serious…",
  "key_points": [
    "UAE official declares flydubai attack a terrorist act",
    "Pilot Smit Machchhar praised as true hero",
    "Aircraft with 174 passengers made emergency landing in Saudi Arabia"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Economic Times",
        "title": "Flydubai attack was a ‘terrorist act’: UAE official",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/flydubai-attack-was-a-terrorist-act-uae-official",
        "published": "2026-10-02T11:25:36.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}