Stories
Israel Prepared to Shoot Down Hijacked Flydubai Flight Carrying 150 Israelis
- •Israel prepared to intercept and potentially shoot down flydubai Flight 1073 on September 30 if it posed a threat, carrying over 150 Israeli passengers.
- •The Omani co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit, causing the plane to plunge 14,000 feet.
- •Fighter jets were scrambled and airspace closed after the cockpit became unresponsive, but the plane eventually turned toward Saudi Arabia.
- •Captain Machchhar fought off the co-pilot with help from passengers and crew, leading to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- •Al-Hammami admitted to investigators that he planned the attack prior to joining flydubai with the intent to crash the plane at Ben Gurion Airport.
Key Questions Answered
On September 30, flydubai Flight 1073 experienced an incident when its Omani co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit and tried to take control of the aircraft. The plane plunged about 14,000 feet before off-duty pilots and crew members overpowered the co-pilot, allowing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Israeli authorities treated the situation as a potential 9/11-style hijacking, closing Israeli airspace, setting up a command centre, activating a pre-established committee, and scrambling fighter jets. The Air Force tried to establish contact with the cockpit, and plans were made to investigate or potentially intercept the aircraft if it approached within a certain distance.
The co-pilot, identified as Hammam al-Hammami, told investigators that he planned the attack before being hired by flydubai and deliberately chose the airline because it flew to Tel Aviv. Following the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, he was transferred to the United Arab Emirates for further questioning, while investigators examined the incident as a possible lone-wolf attack.
