{
  "id": 11633462,
  "title": "Flydubai co-pilot tried to carry out ‘terrorist act’, attacked captain with cockpit axe, UAE says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-tried-to-carry-out-terrorist-act-attacked-captain",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T07:43:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-tried-to-carry-out-terrorist-act-attacked-captain-with-cockpit-axe-uae-says/237548"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attempted to carry out a terrorist act, according to the UAE's attorney general. The co-pilot, identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, used a cockpit emergency axe to attack the captain and tried to take control of the aircraft.\n\nThe flight, carrying more than 170 people, plunged over 17,000ft two and a half hours into its journey. The captain, Smit Machchhar, was injured and lying on the cockpit floor when he realised the plane was sinking and managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.\n\nThe UAE attorney general's office stated that investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances and motives of the incident. According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the attacker was suicidal and had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination. The co-pilot had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his extremist views, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "flydubai Co-Pilot Attacked Pilot With Cockpit's Crash Axe In 'Terrorist Attack': UAE",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-pilot-with-cockpits-crash-axe-in-terrorist",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:02:20.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Flydubai flight FZ1073 co-pilot attacked Indian captain with an axe, UAE probe finds",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-flight-fz1073-co-pilot-attacked-indian-captain-with-an-axe",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:55:27.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}