Reports indicate that Hamam al-Hammami, the flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking his captain during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, had planned the attack before joining the airline. Israeli officials claim he specifically sought out airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv and considered executing the plan earlier this year but abandoned it due to having a friend aboard. Al-Hammami allegedly visited Ben Gurion Airport several times to gather information for his intended assault. During the incident, al-Hammami attacked the captain with an emergency axe and attempted to crash-land in the desert before being subdued by passengers and crew; the plane eventually landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-05,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On October 3, 2026, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot from a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv that was attacked mid-air by the co-pilot, to Israel as a guest of honor. The incident occurred on September 27, 2026, when Captain Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot with an axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Despite being seriously injured, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker.
In recognition of his bravery, Netanyahu called him "a true hero" of both India and Israel during a video call released by his office, extending an invitation for him to light a flame at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony next May. The co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia after the incident.
The attack led to significant security responses from Israeli authorities, with fighter jets being scrambled due to potential hijacking concerns. Captain Machchhar is currently recovering steadily in Abu Dhabi and has been praised by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his courage and resolve in saving 174 lives on board.
Written for “Indian Pilot Hailed Hero After Attack” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 303 other(s) covering the same event.
New reports suggest that the flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking his captain and attempting to seize control of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight had planned the attack before he was even hired by the airline.
asserted
he → suggest → airline
He had also intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, according to Israeli officials and sources cited in reports.
uncertain
He → intend → reports
Two Israeli officials with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters that the Omani national, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, told UAE interrogators that he had searched for airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv before applying to flydubai.
asserted
he → tell → flydubai
A third source briefed on the UAE investigation said al-Hammami had previously operated a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and had considered carrying out the attack then.
asserted
Hammami → brief → attack
He ultimately abandoned the plan, the source said, because had a friend on board.
asserted
source → abandon → board
He planned the attack before joining flydubai
The latest claims suggest the September 30 incident may have been planned well before al-Hammami joined the airline.
uncertain
Hammami → plan → airline
Israeli media, citing information from the UAE and Saudi investigations, reported that al-Hammami told investigators he had specifically looked for an airline flying to Tel Aviv before choosing flydubai.
asserted
he → cite → flydubai
“I looked into which airline flies to Tel Aviv.
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airline → look → Aviv
That's why I chose flydubai.
asserted
I → choose → flydubai
I planned it even before I was accepted,” Channel 13 reported him as saying, according to Times of Israel.
uncertain
Channel → plan → Israel
Times of Israel also reported that al-Hammami had visited Ben Gurion Airport several times in recent months while operating flydubai flights.
asserted
Hammami → report → flights
During a visit in June, he allegedly focused on gathering information and planning an attack, according to the report.
uncertain
he → focus → report
He reportedly intended to carry out the attack in July but cancelled it at the last moment because he was friends with one of the crew members.
uncertain
he → intend → members
What happened on Flight FZ1073
The alleged plan came to a head on September 30, when flydubai Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with more than 170 people on board, most of them Israeli passengers.
asserted
most → happen → them
The UAE prosecutor general has described the incident as a “terrorist attack”.
asserted
general → describe → attack
Al-Hammami attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency crash axe while the aircraft was over Jordan.
asserted
aircraft → attack → Jordan
According to a timeline reported by Italian newspaper
Corriere della Sera, the co-pilot had requested a prayer break shortly before attacking the captain.
uncertain
pilot → accord → captain
Machchhar, despite being wounded, managed to open the cockpit door.
asserted
Machchhar → wound → door
An off-duty pilot travelling in the passenger cabin was alerted to the struggle, while passengers rushed into the cockpit and helped subdue al-Hammami.
asserted
passengers → travel → Hammami
Once his initial plan was disrupted, al-Hammami allegedly tried to crash the aircraft into the desert by forcing the plane into a steep descent and attempting to damage the controls, according to the Italian report.
uncertain
Hammami → disrupt → report
Off-duty pilots on board took over the aircraft and issued an emergency alert.
asserted
pilots → take → alert
The plane was eventually diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed at 10.57 am.
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it → divert → am
Al-Hammami was detained by Saudi authorities and transferred to the UAE the following day.
asserted
Hammami → detain → UAE
Machchhar was also taken back to the UAE for medical treatment.
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Machchhar → take → treatment
The allegations have raised fresh questions about how al-Hammami was allowed to operate a flight to Israel in the first place, as Israel does not have diplomatic relations with Oman and Omani pilots are not permitted to operate flights to Israel.
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pilots → raise → Israel
The incident has also exposed questions about earlier warnings concerning al-Hammami, as Oman had previously raised concerns over his online activity and radical views and removed him from flying duties at Oman Air.
asserted
Oman → expose → Air
Israeli and UAE authorities are continuing to investigate the incident.
asserted
authorities → continue → incident
Israeli intelligence officials have been involved in the UAE's questioning of al-Hammami, according to Israeli media reports.
uncertain
officials → involve → reports
A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is also examining his links to Australia, where he studied at RMIT University in Melbourne about a decade ago.
asserted
he → examine → Melbourne
The Aporia
