Flydubai co-pilot used crash axe to attack captain: UAE

Abu Dhabi The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, attempted a "terrorist" attack while the aircraft was in the air, UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said on Saturday. The flight was bound to Tel Aviv from Dubai. He has been identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, Reuters reported. However, the UAE authorities are yet to confirm his identity. According to Al Shamsi, the co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit using a crash axe and tried to seize control of the aircraft. Such axes are generally kept in cockpits to deal with emergencies, including crashes. The UAE prosecutor general said investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, the suspect's motives and possible links. They are also analysing physical and digital evidence as part of the probe. Al Shamsi's remarks marked the first time UAE authorities had publicly described the incident as an attempted "terrorist" attack. The incident took place on Wednesday, September 30, while the flight was travelling from the UAE to Israel with 174 passengers and crew on board. Passengers and crew members managed to overpower the co-pilot after he attacked the captain, with Israeli officials saying the assault appeared to be an attempt to bring down the aircraft.