The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a “terrorist” attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday (October 3, 2026), according to the state news agency WAM .
Disaster was averted on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, who had attacked the captain in what Israeli officials said was an apparent attempt to crash the plane carrying more than 170 passengers and crew.
The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said. Flydubai said the circumstances surrounding the incident were still under investigation and that it was not in a position to comment further, a spokesperson said.
Mr. Most of the passengers on board were Israeli nationals. The route is popular among Israeli travellers.
Netanyahu said on Thursday (October 1, 2026) that the co-pilot, whom he identified as an Omani national, had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and appeared suicidal, though he said a motive had not yet been established. The aircraft dropped about 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia on its journey from the UAE to Israel, according to flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 .
An Israeli government official told Reuters earlier that Israeli investigators would take part alongside Emirati authorities in the UAE-led investigation, which would examine what happened as well as the suspect’s motives and background. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday (October 2, 2026) that Israel was looking into whether the co-pilot had acted under anyone’s direction, warning that anyone involved would pay a “heavy price”.
