Pilot Attacks Captain With Axe Mid-Flight

An Omani co-pilot is accused of attacking the captain of a FlyDubai jet with a cockpit axe on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, sending the aircraft into a dive before other pilots recovered it.

The incident happened September 30, 2026, on FlyDubai Flight 1073. The captain was identified as Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot. Two reserve pilots on board pulled the jet out of the dive and diverted to Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew then helped restrain the suspect.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Oman Air had grounded the same co-pilot in 2024 after finding he had been visiting radical Islamic websites. He later moved to Dubai. Fox News has not independently confirmed the reason for that grounding.

FlyDubai hired him without checking with Oman Air, according to the report. It was unclear whether Omani officials had shared their concerns with other airlines or governments.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack terrorism and said the suspect had gone through “Islamic radicalization.” “He came to crash the passengers on board,” Netanyahu said. Israeli authorities are looking at whether he acted alone.

A UAE spokesperson declined to discuss the co-pilot’s background, saying officials did not want to prejudice the investigation. The Emirates are leading the inquiry. UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi later said the co-pilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist attack with the cockpit crash axe.

FlyDubai suspended service between Dubai and Tel Aviv after the attack and did not immediately comment. The aircraft was later seen at Ben Gurion International Airport.

Aviation security analysts described the case as a serious failure of pilot vetting, particularly on routes serving Israel. The open question is how a pilot already grounded over radical material ended up in a cockpit on a flight to Tel Aviv.