Investigators report that a Flydubai co-pilot attempted to crash an airliner into Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, after attacking the captain with an emergency axe. The suspect, identified in reports as Hamam al-Hammami, faces the death penalty under Abu Dhabi authorities.
The incident unfolded aboard flight FZ1073 traveling from Dubai to Telaviv with more than 170 passengers and crew members on board. The majority of the passengers were Israeli citizens. During the journey, the co-pilot launched a surprise assault on the aircraft captain and tried to seize control of the cockpit.
Following the initial attack, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly while the captain fought to unlock the cockpit door from the inside. Passengers and crew members subdued the attacker, and two off-duty reserve pilots who were traveling as passengers stepped in to take over the controls. The flight ultimately made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The captain sustained injuries in the struggle, while the passengers and remaining crew members emerged physically unhurt.
The Cockpit Takeover and Flight Timeline Over Jordan
Detailed accounts published by international media provide a precise timeline of the cockpit breach. Around 9:15 a.m., the co-pilot asked for permission to pray and shortly afterward struck the captain with an emergency axe. A violent struggle ensued inside the flight deck.
At approximately 9:20 a.m., a passenger named Tali Manesa escorted her five-year-old daughter to the restroom and heard a commotion coming from the cockpit. She alerted an off-duty pilot sitting in business class, who rushed forward and witnessed the ongoing assault, shouting that the pilot was being attacked. Recognizing that his original plan was compromised, the suspect pushed the nose of the aircraft downward in an apparent attempt to crash it, according to sources.
Several Israeli passengers then forced their way into the cockpit, overpowered the attacker, and stabilized the aircraft. The flight crew initially broadcast squawk code 7500 to indicate unlawful interference with the aircraft. Saudi air traffic controllers directed the flight to land in Tabuk, where it touched down at 10:57 a.m.
Months of Reconnaissance and a Prior Plot Abandoned
Subsequent interrogation revealed that the plot was months in the making. Investigators state that the suspect had flown on Flydubai services to Ben Gurion Airport multiple times in the preceding months. During a trip in June, he gathered intelligence and planned the operation.
I planned this even before I was hired…
Hamam al-Hammami told La.
The suspect initially intended to execute the attack in July but called it off at the last moment because one of the crew members on that particular flight was his friend. Investigators note that he waited until the aircraft entered Jordanian airspace before initiating the takeover so that he could bypass early alarms and approach Telaviv under the guise of a normal landing.
Security Background and Aviation Screening Changes
Security reviews following the incident revealed prior employment red flags. Reports indicate that the pilot had previously lost his job at Oman Air due to concerns over extremist views, after which he made an unsuccessful application to Emirates before securing a position with Flydubai.
The failed attack has triggered sharp political fallout in Israel ahead of upcoming parliamentary elections. Opposition politicians have called for the resignation or dismissal of Transportation Minister Miri Regev, arguing that her department failed to prevent the security breach. Regev has denied personal responsibility, pointing instead to intelligence agencies, even though the Transportation Ministry plays a direct role in screening foreign pilots.
