Flydubai Flight FZ1073

October 6, 2026 8:56 PM

Indian Captain Machchhar making ‘steady progress’: Indian embassy in UAE

Indian Captain Smit Machchhar is making “steady progress” and is “regaining his health”, the Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Tuesday. On flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot, an Omani citizen, with a crash axe, typically kept in the cockpit for use in emergencies, seriously injuring him. The motive for the attack remains unclear. “Capt Smit continues to make steady progress and is regaining his health. The Embassy remains in close touch with h...

October 6, 2026 10:16 AM

Flydubai co-pilot completed portion of his flight training in New Zealand, police says

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash a plane last week was in New Zealand seven years ago to complete a portion of his flight training for a U.K.-based company, New Zealand police said in a statement on Tuesday. Police said the man was in New Zealand between November 2018 and May 2019 on a six-month student visa. "Immigration records show he arrived in New Zealand on 30 November 2018 and departed 23 May 2019," New Zealand Assistant Commissioner Michael J...

October 5, 2026 1:34 PM

Co-pilot planned flydubai attack before joining airline, two Israeli officials say

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane has told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before he was hired by the Dubai state-owned airline, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the probe. A third source briefed on the UAE probe said the co-pilot, an Omani national, had planned to crash Wednesday's flight into Ben-Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. He had also operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and intended to hijack and c...

October 5, 2026 10:21 AM

Australia probes flydubai co-pilot’s links to the country, police say

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday. The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team – which comprises federal police, Victorian state police and the ASIO intelligence agency – was "investigating the man's links to Australia," the Australian Federal Police spokesperson said. Two sources briefed on the inve...

October 4, 2026 2:19 PM

Explainer: What do we know about flydubai flight 1073?

Here is what we know, and don't know, about the reported attempt by the copilot of flydubai flight 1073 to crash the plane on September 30 before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLANE? The flight, carrying more than 170 mostly Israeli passengers and crew, departed Dubai at 0305 GMT, according to flight data reviewed by Reuters. At 0521 GMT in Saudi airspace it made a sudden, sharp turn and plunged towards the ground twice, before stabilising. The plane fell more than 16...

October 4, 2026 2:16 PM

Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe in attempted ‘terrorist attack’, UAE says

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel, attempted to carry out a "terrorist attack" with an axe during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday. The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. A second source briefed on the investigation confirmed the co-pilot’s name. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identit...

October 3, 2026 7:29 PM

Dubai Crown Prince visits Captain Smit, applauds his courage

Dubai Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence for the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, today visited Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot who helped avert a major tragedy after being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Following the visit, Sheikh Hamdan took to X and praised Captain Smit for demonstrating “the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life.” He said Captain Smit had earned the...

October 2, 2026 2:23 PM

‘One last push’: Captain Smit tells PM Modi how he reached cockpit door despite injuries

Captain Smit Machchhar, who helped avert a major tragedy after being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that despite suffering severe injuries, he made “one last push” to reach the cockpit door as he could not let the passengers die. Speaking to PM Modi over the phone on Friday, Captain Machchhar recalled the moments after he collapsed on the floor following the attack and said his 17 years of flying experience helped him realise t...

October 2, 2026 12:30 AM

Closely following health condition of Smit Machchhar: MEA

India on Thursday said it is keeping a close tab on the health of Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot hailed for saving a flydubai flight despite being stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to bring down the plane. Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, on Wednesday. He has been shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care and recovery after he received initial medical treatment in ...

October 2, 2026 12:00 AM

‘Very reassured’ to meet Captain Machchhar: Indian envoy to UAE Deepak Mittal

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal on Thursday said he was “very reassured” to meet Captain Smit Machchhar, who is “in good health and recovering well” after sustaining serious injuries while foiling an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Flydubai flight. Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, on Wednesday. The plane carrying 174 people was forced to make an emergency landin...