UAE Attorney General Announces Flydubai Co-Pilot Terrorist Attack

The United Arab Emirates Attorney General announced that an initial investigation into a disrupted flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv revealed the co-pilot initiated a terrorist operation by attacking the captain with an emergency axe inside the cockpit.

The Mid-Air Assault on Flight FZ1073

Earlier this week, flydubai flight 1073 was carrying 172 passengers—including 166 Israeli citizens—alongside its crew when the violent incident unfolded inside the cockpit. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi confirmed that the first officer on the flight initiated a targeted terrorist plot mid-journey. The co-pilot assaulted the Indian captain, Sumit Matchhar, with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft’s flight systems.

Despite sustaining injuries during the sudden attack, Captain Matchhar managed to open the cockpit door. That action allowed passengers and members of the crew to rush forward and physically overpower the attacker. Driven by the onboard struggle, the aircraft executed an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The General Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that the rapid response of the captain, the crew, and the passengers contributed to controlling the situation.

Diverging Outlet Details and Background Checks

Humam Al-Hamami, a 29-year-old Omani national born in the UAE to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, was identified as the co-pilot. Reports indicated that Al-Hamami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over suspicions of holding extremist views and becoming radicalized during a trip to Syria.

Discrepancies emerged across different newsrooms regarding Al-Hamami’s career timeline and academic training. Al-Hamami studied aviation management remotely at Buckinghamshire New University, graduating in 2023. However, a university spokesperson clarified to the Associated Press that while he completed a distance-learning course in aviation management, he never underwent pilot training at the institution.

Employment records further highlight a transient career across regional carriers. Professional networking data indicated that Al-Hamami worked for Oman Air for seven years before departing in February 2025. He subsequently joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 for a brief stint before leaving in January 2026. Royal Air Maroc confirmed to the Associated Press that Al-Hamami completed a three-month theoretical training period with them in 2025 as part of a pre-employment screening, but his application was ultimately rejected. Omani authorities had previously transferred him to a desk job after discovering extremist materials in his possession.

Official Responses and Geopolitical Fallout

Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, characterized the assault as a serious terrorist act, warning on social media that the region’s ongoing battle against extremism requires constant vigilance. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly asserted that the co-pilot had undergone extremist religious indoctrination with the explicit intent of bringing the aircraft down.

Photo: الشرق الأوسط

Legal jurisdiction over the case rests firmly with Emirati authorities. Because the aircraft is registered in the UAE and flies under its flag, domestic criminal law applies to offenses committed on board, regardless of international airspace boundaries. Attorney General Al Shamsi emphasized that comprehensive technical, physical, and digital forensic examinations remain underway to uncover any broader network or external directives tied to the plot.

Photo: العربية

Event Detail	Reported Fact
Flight Number	flydubai Flight FZ1073
Route	Dubai to Tel Aviv
Passenger Manifest	172 total passengers (including 166 Israeli citizens)
Emergency Landing Location	Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
Suspect Identity	Humam Al-Hamami (Omani national, 29 years old)
Investigating Authority	UAE Office of the Attorney General / General Civil Aviation Authority

As investigators continue analyzing digital evidence—including social media profiles associated with the suspect that were scrubbed shortly after the attack—authorities have urged the public to rely strictly on official statements rather than unverified speculations.

More on this story: UAE calls Flydubai cockpit axe attack terrorist act · Flydubai Cockpit Stabbing: What We Know and What We Don't Know