Israel flight hijacking latest: FlyDubai co-pilot used crash axe to attack captain in ‘terror’ incident, says UAE

Key Points:

• A FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv experienced a sudden plunge of approximately 13,000 feet in 30 seconds after the co-pilot, Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, attacked the captain with a crash axe in an attempted "terrorist" attack.
• The co-pilot, who had been banned from flying by Oman last year due to concerns over radical ideological views, was subdued by passengers and crew, preventing a potential crash of the plane carrying over 170 people.
• Investigations are ongoing by UAE and Israeli authorities to determine the motives, circumstances, and any external connections related to the incident, with Israeli officials expected to question the co-pilot.
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that anyone involved in directing the attack would face severe consequences, while the captain, Smit Machchhar, is recovering and has been praised for his heroic actions during the crisis.
• Separately, while UK and US leaders have suggested possible Iranian involvement in related security incidents, including arrests near a US military base in England, no confirmed evidence has linked Iran to the FlyDubai attack as investigations continue.