FZ1073: Crash Axe and Cockpit Takeover Attempt — What UAE Investigators Found

flydubai flight FZ1073 has entered a decisive new phase after UAE investigators said the co-pilot attempted to carry out what authorities described as a “terrorist act,” attacking the captain with a crash axe and trying to seize control of the aircraft during the flight.

The October 3 announcement marks the first direct official Emirati characterization of the incident, which began as an emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia on September 30. The investigation is not over, however, with prosecutors still examining the motive, possible links and physical and digital evidence.

What did investigators find on flydubai flight FZ1073?

UAE Attorney-General Counsellor Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot began carrying out his plan while the aircraft was in flight, attacking the captain inside the cockpit with a crash axe.

According to the official UAE statement, the co-pilot then attempted to take control of the aircraft’s flight controls before the attempt was stopped.

A crash axe is normally kept inside the cockpit as emergency equipment, but UAE investigators said it was used during the attack on the captain.

Al Shamsi said investigators are continuing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident, including the motive and any related links, while technical examinations and analysis of physical and digital evidence continue.

From Dubai to Tel Aviv — then an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia

Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, when the crisis unfolded inside the cockpit.

Passengers and crew members subdued the co-pilot, while a reserve flydubai pilot travelling on the aircraft took control of the plane.

The Boeing 737 was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely and the co-pilot was detained by Saudi authorities.

Reuters reported that more than 170 passengers and crew were aboard the aircraft, with most of the passengers being Israeli nationals.

The aircraft dropped more than 16,000 feet

Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed that the aircraft dropped about 16,625 feet in just over 30 seconds while flying over Saudi Arabia during the incident.

The new UAE findings provide a clearer account of what was happening inside the cockpit during the dramatic loss of altitude, after the initial reports had described a security incident and an altercation between the pilots.

The UAE finding changes the status of the case

In the first days after the incident, some of the most serious details came from Israeli officials and other sources, while flydubai said the circumstances and motives remained under investigation.

The October 3 statement changes that evidentiary position. The description of the incident as an attempted “terrorist act” now comes directly from the UAE Attorney-General leading the investigation.

UAE authorities have also officially confirmed that the captain was attacked with a crash axe and that the co-pilot attempted to take control of the aircraft.

What remains unresolved is why the co-pilot acted and whether anyone else was involved.

Who was the co-pilot?

Reuters identified the co-pilot as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, citing a source with direct knowledge of the matter and a second source briefed on the investigation.

UAE authorities had not publicly confirmed his identity at the time of the latest reporting, so the identification remains attributed to Reuters sources rather than an official Emirati announcement.

Oman had also not commented on the incident.

The suspect was transferred to Abu Dhabi

After the aircraft landed in Tabuk, Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot. Reuters reported that he was transferred from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi on October 1 as the UAE-led investigation continued.

An Israeli government official said Israeli investigators were expected to participate alongside Emirati authorities in the investigation.

The UAE is leading the probe because the aircraft is registered in the country and flies under the UAE flag.

Why is the motive still unresolved?

Although UAE prosecutors have formally described the incident as an attempted terrorist act, they have not announced a final motive or confirmed any link to an organization, government or outside actor.

The Attorney-General said investigators are examining possible connections and continuing technical analysis of the evidence.

That distinction remains important. The nature of the attack has now been officially characterized, but the question of why it happened and whether anyone directed or assisted the co-pilot remains open.

Israel examines whether anyone else was involved

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel is examining whether the co-pilot acted under another party’s direction.

That possibility has not been confirmed by UAE investigators and should therefore remain separate from the established findings until the investigation is completed.

Israeli officials have also raised questions about how an Omani pilot came to be assigned to a Tel Aviv-bound flight, given the absence of formal diplomatic relations between Israel and Oman.

flydubai limits comments while the investigation continues

flydubai said the circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation and that it was not in a position to comment further.

The airline’s chief executive, Ghaith Al Ghaith, had earlier described the episode as a “safety incident” inside the cockpit before UAE prosecutors released their latest findings.

The investigation has therefore moved beyond the airline’s initial description and now includes a formal criminal assessment by the UAE authorities.

What does the case mean for aviation security?

The FZ1073 incident is likely to intensify scrutiny of crew vetting, access to emergency equipment inside the cockpit and procedures for responding to a threat originating from a member of the flight crew.

It may also raise questions about how airlines and aviation authorities share security information about pilots operating international routes.

Any permanent regulatory changes, however, will depend on the final investigation and whether authorities identify specific weaknesses in screening, crew assignment or cockpit procedures.

Profile News previously tracked the early developments surrounding the flight in its Daily Report for October 1, 2026.

What is confirmed — and what remains under investigation?

UAE authorities have now officially confirmed that the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe, attempted to seize the aircraft’s flight controls and was carrying out what prosecutors described as an attempted terrorist act.

It is also confirmed that passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, a reserve flydubai pilot took control of the aircraft and the plane landed safely in Tabuk.

What remains unresolved is the final motive, whether the co-pilot had outside assistance or direction, and whether investigators identify any wider network or connection.

The FZ1073 case has therefore moved beyond the conflicting preliminary accounts that followed the emergency landing. Investigators have now established the nature of the cockpit attack, while the most important unanswered question — why it happened and whether anyone else was involved — remains at the center of the continuing UAE-led investigation.

Sources

Emirates News Agency (WAM) — UAE Attorney-General’s official findings on the FZ1073 investigation — October 3, 2026.

Reuters — Cockpit attack, altitude loss, suspect identification and the continuing UAE-led investigation — October 3, 2026.