Flydubai Flight FZ1073 (Dubai → Tel Aviv, Sept 30, 2026) suffered a violent cockpit altercation when the Omani co‑pilot allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar mid‑air, forcing the plane into a steep dive. Passengers and off‑duty pilots subdued the attacker, and the aircraft diverted safely to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. While authorities call it an attempted terror attack, conspiracy theories suggest deeper political motives.
Chronology of Events:
08:35 IST – Flight FZ1073 departs Dubai with 174 passengers and 6 crew.
~11:01 IST – Transmits Squawk 7700 (general emergency).
11:08 IST – Changes to Squawk 7500 (hijacking code). Israeli fighter jets scrambled.
Cockpit struggle – Co‑pilot Hamam al‑Hammami allegedly stabs Captain Machchhar with the crash axe, sending the plane into a rapid descent (loss of ~14,000–17,000 ft).
According to passenger accounts reported after the incident, Tali Manes was the first person to raise the alarm about a disturbance in the cockpit of Flydubai Flight FZ1073. While accompanying her six-year-old daughter to the lavatory near the front of the aircraft, she reportedly heard unusual noises and banging from the cockpit area and alerted a flight attendant to check what was happening.
Captain opens cockpit door despite injuries, allowing passengers to intervene.
Passengers & cabin crew restrain the co‑pilot; off‑duty pilots take control.
11:44 IST – Distress call to Tabuk ATC; emergency landing cleared.
12:45 IST – Aircraft lands safely at Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. All 180 onboard survive; 6 injured.
How It Was Controlled
Captain Machchhar – Heroic despite stab wounds, opened cockpit door.
Passengers (Yaniv Hayun, Assaf Rajuan, Shota Musaev, Zvika Manes) – Physically restrained the co‑pilot.
Cabin crew (including female attendants) – Coordinated passenger response, calmed cabin, assisted injured captain.
Off‑duty pilots (British & South African) – Took over controls, landed safely in Tabuk.
Two off‑duty Flydubai pilots traveling as passengers (probably one South African, one New Zealander : Yet to be confirmed) took over, Assisted by passengers (including Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajuan, Shota Musaev) who physically subdued the co‑pilot. Together, they stabilized the aircraft and diverted to Tabuk.
Conspiracy Theories Circulating
Election timing in Israel: Incident occurred weeks before Israel’s Oct 27 elections; some allege it was politicized to boost security narratives.
Pilot radicalization: Claims that the Omani co‑pilot was linked to extremist groups, though not independently verified.
False flag theory: Some commentators speculate the event was exaggerated or staged to justify closer UAE–Israel security cooperation.
Second flight diversion: Another Dubai–Tel Aviv Flydubai flight turned back the same day, fueling suspicion of coordinated threats.
The official narrative is clear: a co‑pilot attack foiled by crew and passengers, leading to safe diversion to Tabuk. Conspiracy theories, however, frame it as either politically timed, linked to terrorism, or part of a larger regional security play.
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Aviation Restrictions & Crew Composition
Israel’s aviation agreements stipulate that crews on inbound flights must hold passports from countries with normalized relations with Israel. Omani nationals are excluded from such roles, raising questions about how an Omani co‑pilot was rostered on Flydubai’s Dubai–Tel Aviv service. The Boeing aircraft used by Flydubai typically accommodates 172 people including crew, yet reports mention 174 passengers, adding to speculation.
The important point is that altitude on the flight tracker is not the same as cabin altitude.
The passenger oxygen masks are designed to deploy when the cabin pressure/oxygen conditions reach the required threshold. A rapid change in the aircraft's flight altitude does not automatically mean that the cabin has lost pressure.
So, if the aircraft descended rapidly while the cabin remained adequately pressurized, the masks would not necessarily deploy. Reply to why oxygen mask did not come down.
The Co‑pilot’s Background
The Omani co‑pilot, identified as Hamam Al‑Hammami, allegedly stabbed Indian Captain Smit Machchhar mid‑air, causing the aircraft to plunge thousands of feet. Arabic media and the Wall Street Journal reported that Hammami had been barred by Oman Air in 2024–25 for browsing extremist sites and expressing radical views. Despite this, Flydubai hired him without apparent vetting. His mother was of Syrian origin.
The Attack
Accounts suggest Hammami asked the captain for permission to leave his seat to pray. Once granted, he attacked from behind with the cockpit crash axe — a tool meant for emergencies, not violence. The wounded captain managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to subdue the attacker. Off‑duty pilots onboard then took control and diverted the aircraft safely to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Alleged Motives
Reports claim Hammami admired figures such as Osama bin Laden, Abu Bakr al‑Baghdadi, and Pakistan‑based terrorist Masood Azhar. He allegedly visited Pakistan and Turkey in 2026 and was in contact with radical elements in Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Intelligence sources suggested his plan was not only to crash the plane but potentially to target a skyscraper in Tel Aviv or even the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
Symbolism & Vetting Concerns
Observers noted Hammami bore a zabiba (prayer callus) on his forehead, interpreted by some as a mark of intense religiosity. Critics argued this, combined with his flagged extremist history, should have disqualified him from cockpit duty. The incident highlighted failures in vetting and security clearance.
Conspiracy Theories
Alternative narratives emerged:
Some claimed the hijacking was a false‑flag operation, orchestrated by Mossad or Israeli authorities to justify heightened security or influence upcoming elections.
Others argued Hammami was a Mossad agent with a fake identity, pointing to the oddity of his name (“Hammam” meaning bathroom in Arabic).
Skeptics questioned whether the stabbing was staged, or whether Saudi media colluded with Israel to exaggerate the threat.
Aftermath
Despite the swirl of theories, the undeniable fact remains: the captain’s resilience, passengers’ intervention, and off‑duty pilots’ skill prevented catastrophe. All 180 onboard survived, though the incident continues to fuel debate about vetting failures, extremist infiltration, and possible political manipulation.
