Flydubai Co-Pilot Attacked Captain With A Crash Axe Mid-Flight, UAE Says — Here's What We Know

A Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv plunged more than 17,000ft after the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe, the United Arab Emirates' prosecutor general has said. Passengers and crew stepped in, and the plane landed safely.

What Happened

According to BBC News, the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was carrying more than 170 people. About two and a half hours into the journey, the aircraft dropped more than 17,000ft (5,200m).

The UAE prosecutor general says the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe, a tool usually kept in the cockpit for emergencies, in an attempt to take control of the plane.

Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed. He has described lying injured on the cockpit floor when he realised the plane was sinking. "I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside," he said, according to the BBC.

Passengers were then able to enter the cockpit and overpower the attacker. On-duty crew travelling on the flight landed the plane safely.

The Captain's Condition

Machchhar was taken to a nearby hospital and then airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where he is reported to be in a stable condition. The Indian embassy in the UAE said he was in "good health and recovering well", and the Indian government has praised his "immense courage".

What Is Still Unclear

The motive has not been established. The UAE attorney general told state media that investigations are continuing to determine the full circumstances.

Sky News reports the UAE has said the co-pilot tried to carry out a terrorist attack. The BBC reports the UAE has begun investigating whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose, so the official language is still developing.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also commented. He told Fox News the co-pilot was an Omani national, and said the attacker shouted "Kill me, kill me!" after being subdued. Netanyahu said it was "clear that he was suicidal" and claimed the man had "underwent Islamist radical indoctrination". Those are the Israeli prime minister's claims, relayed by the BBC, and they have not been independently confirmed by the UAE investigation.

Why It Matters

Cockpit security is one of the most tightly controlled areas of modern aviation, and an attack from inside the flight deck is among the scenarios the industry works hardest to prevent. Investigators will likely look at how the attack unfolded, how the cockpit door was secured and who the attacker was.

What Happens Next

• The UAE investigation is ongoing and will examine the motive and whether terrorism was involved.
• Further details on the co-pilot's background and the sequence of events are expected as officials release more information.
• The captain continues his recovery in Abu Dhabi.

What do you think should change, if anything, about cockpit safety after this? Tell us in the comments.

Sources: BBC News, Sky News