UAE officials confirm the Omani co-pilot who attacked FlyDubai Flight FZ1073's captain with a cockpit crash axe had previously been barred from flying by Oman Air over extremism concerns.
CAIRO — The co-pilot of FlyDubai Flight FZ1073, identified in media reports as an Omani national surnamed Al-Hammami, attacked the aircraft's captain with a cockpit crash axe on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, while the plane flew from Dubai to Tel Aviv, United Arab Emirates authorities said Saturday, Oct. 3. The flight, carrying 182 people, nearly crashed before passengers and crew intervened to bring it under control. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi described the assault as an attempted "terrorist act" aimed at seizing the aircraft.
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How the Attack Unfolded in the Cockpit
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According to a statement carried by the official Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Shamsi said the co-pilot "attempted to carry out a terrorist act" after planning and beginning the attack during the flight. The co-pilot allegedly assaulted the captain inside the flight deck using the crash axe — an emergency tool normally stored in cockpits for breaking through panels or jammed doors following an accident — and then tried to seize control of the aircraft, the Washington Post and WAM reported.
Passengers and crew intervened to prevent what officials described as an attempted takeover, and the plane ultimately landed safely, according to NPR and the Associated Press. Public accounts have not established the precise sequence of how the co-pilot was restrained, how seriously the captain was injured, or exactly when the flight crew regained full control. Those specifics remain part of the UAE's active investigation, Al Shamsi said, adding that authorities are continuing to examine physical and digital evidence tied to the case.
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A Trainee Pilot Previously Flagged Over Extremism
The co-pilot's professional history has become central to the investigation. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg and CNN that the suspect had worked as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air, the country's national carrier, in 2024 and was removed from that position in 2025 over concerns tied to extremist or radical views. CNN reported that two sources familiar with the matter said he was removed following concerns about his views, while separate reporting cited by the Associated Press said he had been found in possession of extremist materials.
ABC News reported that senior intelligence and law enforcement sources described the suspect as having been previously identified as a security risk before being suspended from flying by Oman Air. CNN additionally reported that terrorist-related images were found on the suspect's social media accounts, according to sources familiar with the matter. These reports distinguish between documented prior security concerns and a confirmed ideological motive for the FlyDubai attack — a distinction UAE investigators have not yet resolved publicly.
Motive Still Unconfirmed as Investigation Continues
Despite the mounting details about the suspect's background, no UAE authority has publicly established that he belonged to a terrorist organization, nor has a definitive explanation been released for why he allegedly attacked the captain. Al Shamsi said investigators were continuing to establish the incident's circumstances, motive, and possible connections. The earlier extremism flags from Oman Air are relevant to questions about screening and hiring practices, but they do not by themselves confirm that the FlyDubai incident was directed by an outside group or organization.
The case has also exposed unresolved questions about information-sharing across airlines and national aviation regulators. Reports from the Associated Press and Inquirer indicate the suspect was barred from flying for Oman Air before later being hired by FlyDubai, a Dubai-based carrier, but available reporting does not clarify what information, if any, Oman Air transmitted to FlyDubai, whether a formal aviation-security database flagged him, or what vetting FlyDubai itself conducted before hiring him.
Political Reverberations and Trump's Iran Warning
The flight's destination — Tel Aviv — and its timing amid heightened regional tensions have added a geopolitical dimension to the case. According to the Associated Press, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran would be hit "very hard" if it were found to be behind the co-pilot's actions. That statement reflects an unverified possibility rather than an established investigative finding; UAE authorities have not publicly linked Iran or any other foreign government to the incident, and their official statement said investigators are still examining possible connections.
NPR reported that Emirati investigators' terrorism characterization aligns with statements previously made by Israeli officials regarding the incident. However, the precise nature of any coordination between UAE and Israeli assessments, or any additional intelligence informing either government's conclusions, has not been detailed in public statements.
Aviation Security Fallout and the Road Ahead
For FlyDubai and the broader aviation industry, the incident is expected to trigger scrutiny of cockpit-access procedures, pilot background checks, emergency-tool storage protocols, and safeguards protecting one pilot from another. Commercial aviation security has traditionally been built around external threats to the cockpit; an attack originating from within the flight deck, by a trusted crew member, presents a fundamentally different security challenge.
No regulator had publicly announced new industry-wide rules as of Saturday, though aviation specialists are likely to examine whether pilot-vetting procedures adequately capture extremist activity without over-relying on vague or unverifiable judgments. Unresolved questions include the suspect's precise identity and current legal status, the captain's injuries, the exact method of restraint used by passengers and crew, and the specific evidence underpinning the "terrorist act" designation. UAE officials have said the investigation remains active, with further findings expected as digital evidence and possible connections are examined.
