A FlyDubai co-pilot, identified as Hammam al-Hammami, 29, who attempted to hijack a Tel Aviv-bound flight using a cockpit crash axe, studied at a British university. The incident occurred during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where al-Hammami seized an emergency axe and attacked the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, causing the Boeing 737 MAX to plummet 17,000 feet. Despite severe injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the flight deck door, allowing passengers to subdue al-Hammami and stabilise the aircraft before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Al-Hammami, an Omani national born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother, had previously been banned from flying by Omani authorities due to radical views. He earned a distance-learning aviation management degree from Buckinghamshire New University in 2023, which did not involve practical flight training. Omani intelligence had previously removed him from flight duties after discovering extremist materials on his devices and noting visits to radical websites. He was later transferred to an administrative role before training at Royal Air Maroc, which rejected his application. FlyDubai hired him eight months ago. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed intelligence services are investigating whether al-Hammami acted alone or under external direction, warning that accomplices would face a 'heavy price.' The incident has prompted regional aviation authorities to review aircrew screening protocols. Former Israeli intelligence officials have criticised the failure of Israeli and Emirati security agencies in allowing a national from a country with no diplomatic ties to Israel onto the Tel Aviv route. The attack has also been linked to potential attempts to undermine the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established commercial air routes between Israel and Gulf states. The UAE and Israeli authorities are jointly investigating the incident, with Israeli investigators arriving in the UAE to interrogate the suspect.

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Aviation News – A Flydubai passenger jet traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a pilot stabbed another crew member in an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft. The sudden mid-air violent altercation forced the plane into a terrifying 17,000-foot descent before courageous passengers and off-duty flight crew successfully intervened. ​The high-altitude incident occurred approximately two hours into the routine international flight departing from Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates.