Stories
Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned Crash Into Tel Aviv Airport
- •Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073.
- •The Tel Aviv-bound flight carrying 174 people made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew overpowered the attacker.
- •Investigators report that the co-pilot admitted to planning the crash into Ben Gurion Airport even before joining Flydubai.
- •The incident prompted Israeli fighter jets to scramble amid protocols for dealing with rogue aircraft approaching airspace.
Key Questions Answered
During the Tel Aviv-bound flight carrying 174 people, Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit and tried to take control of the aircraft. The injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, and passengers along with crew members overpowered the attacker before the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Fresh reporting citing Israeli officials reveals that the co-pilot reportedly told UAE interrogators he had planned the attack prior to joining Flydubai and intended to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport.
According to Israeli sources cited by CBS News, Israeli fighter jets were scrambled in response to the incident. Israel also maintained a protocol for handling rogue aircraft approaching its airspace, which included a potential shoot-down decision under specific circumstances.
