{
  "id": 11634568,
  "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-with-axe-uae-official-says-11634568",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T07:49:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC News",
    "slug": "bbc-news",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c61wv7lgex13o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe, attempting to seize control of the aircraft, the UAE prosecutor general has revealed. The Boeing jet, carrying over 170 passengers, plummeted more than 17,000 feet into the sky approximately two and a half hours into its journey. Pilot Smit Machchhar found himself injured on the cockpit floor when he realized the plane was descending and knew he had to act. He managed to open the cockpit door from within, allowing passengers to enter and overpower the attacker. Upon landing the plane safely, on-duty crew members managed to subdue the assailant. The attacker, an Omani national, called out for the crew to \"kill me, kill me!\" before the incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacker had been subject to Islamist radical indoctrination, suggesting he was suicidal and intended to crash the plane. The UAE is investigating whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity. Pilot Machchhar, who was stabbed during the attack, is reportedly in a stable condition and recovering well.",
  "summary": "The flydubai plane plunged more than 17,000ft two and a half hours into its journey before passengers and crew overpowered the attacker.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 11,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "UAE prosecutor general says flydubai co-pilot 'attempted terrorist attack'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/uae-prosecutor-general-says-flydubai-co-pilot-attempted-terrorist",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:25:06.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Co-pilot on flydubai flight 'attempted to carry out terrorist act', UAE's attorney general says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/co-pilot-on-flydubai-flight-attempted-to-carry-out-terrorist-act-uaes",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:30:57.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "Omani pilot used ‘crash axe’ in cockpit to attack Captain Smit Machchhar, attempted ‘terrorist attack’: UAE",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/omani-pilot-used-crash-axe-in-cockpit-to-attack-captain-smit",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:47:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning 'terrorist act'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/uae-investigators-say-flydubai-co-pilot-was-planning-terrorist-act",
        "published": "2026-10-03T07:38:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-with-axe-uae-official-says",
        "published": "2026-10-03T07:49:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Ajel English",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attempted terror attack during flight, UAE says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attempted-terror-attack-during-flight-uae-says",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:04:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Le Monde English",
        "title": "UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning 'terrorist act'",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/uae-investigators-say-flydubai-co-pilot-was-planning-terrorist-act-11638638",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:20:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KBC",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-with-axe-uae-official-says-11642808",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:26:55.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "KahawaTungu",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-captain-with-axe-uae-official-says-11643100",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:28:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning ‘terrorist act’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/uae-investigators-say-flydubai-co-pilot-was-planning-terrorist-act-11645219",
        "published": "2026-10-03T08:46:14.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}