# Flydubai Flight 1073 Hijack Attempt Thwarted by Pilot

- Topic: world
- Source: [jpost.com](https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-910682)
- Published: 2026-10-05
- Original: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-910682
- Language: en
- Image: https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/q_auto/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_720,w_1280/740618

## At a glance

- Co‑pilot Hamam al‑Hammami attacked the captain with a cockpit axe, but was overpowered before a crash.
- Passengers were kept in the cabin while the cockpit was secured, landing safely at Tabuk Airport.
- The incident left passengers traumatized, with one family describing it as “10 minutes of horror.”
- Saudi staff provided food and medical care to Israeli passengers after the emergency landing.

## Sources

- [jpost.com](https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-910682)

## The story

On 5 October 2026, passengers on flydubai flight 1073 reported an attempted hijack when the Omani co‑pilot, Hamam al‑Hammami, attacked the captain with a cockpit axe. The pilot, Capt. Smit Machchhar, and a group of Israeli crew members overpowered the co‑pilot, preventing a crash into the Arabian Desert. Passengers were kept in the cabin while the cockpit was secured, and the aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia after a six‑hour flight from Jerusalem. The incident left passengers shaken, with one family describing the experience as “10 minutes of horror.” The crew’s actions were praised by Israeli passengers, who later received food and medical care from Saudi staff. The event highlights ongoing security concerns for international flights in the Middle East and raises questions about crew vetting and emergency protocols. Authorities are investigating the co‑pilot’s motives, which the passenger family links to anti‑Israel sentiment. No injuries were reported beyond the pilot’s blood loss, and the aircraft remained structurally intact.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. [Read the original source](https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-910682)