Flydubai Co-Pilot Attempts Terrorist Attack on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight
On September 30, 2026, Flydubai Flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was targeted in an attempted terrorist attack by its Omani co-pilot, Hamam Al Hammami. The co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchaar with an emergency axe in the cockpit, intending to crash the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The flight carried approximately 174 to 182 passengers, predominantly Israelis.
16 paksh39 articles
What Happened
On September 30, 2026, Flydubai Flight FZ1073, en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, experienced an attempted terrorist attack. The Omani co-pilot, Hamam Al Hammami, 29, attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchaar with an emergency axe in the cockpit. The co-pilot's intention was to crash the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The flight was carrying approximately 174 to 182 passengers, mostly Israelis, and the incident occurred while the aircraft was flying over Saudi-Jordanian airspace.
The UAE has identified the incident as a terrorist attack. Captain Machchaar has been hailed for his actions in preventing the crash and saving the lives of the passengers and crew. He was later shifted to Abu Dhabi for medical attention.
Key Facts
- The incident occurred on September 30, 2026, on Flydubai Flight FZ1073.From research
- The flight was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.From research
- The co-pilot, Hamam Al Hammami, 29, was Omani.SambadNamasthe Telangana
- The co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchaar with an emergency axe.Hindustan TimesThe Times of IndiaUttarbanga SambadSambad
- The co-pilot intended to crash the Boeing 737 Max 8 into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.Namasthe Telangana
- The flight carried approximately 174 to 182 passengers, predominantly Israelis.From research
- The UAE has identified the incident as a terrorist attack.The Times of IndiaUttarbanga SambadQaumi Awaz
- Captain Smit Machchaar was shifted to Abu Dhabi for medical attention.Hindustan TimesThe Hindu
The Timeline39
Every article on this story, in the order it was filed. We do not rank the outlets. Headlines filed in other languages are machine-translated.
30 Sept
- TOIThe Times of IndiaFlydubai flight incident: What we know about the pilot under investigation
1 Oct
Show all 39 articlesShow fewer
- TOIThe Times of IndiaWas flydubai cockpit attack planned? UAE probe to examine possible terror link
2 Oct
3 Oct
- TOIThe Times of IndiaCo-pilot attacked Indian captain with crash axe: UAE on flydubai 'terrorist attack'
- TOIThe Times of IndiaShah Rukh Khan salutes flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar for saving 174 lives on flight
4 Oct
5 Oct
6 Oct
7 Oct
10 Oct
Coverage widthMeasured across 16 newsrooms
Newsrooms led with noticeably different aspects of this. Distance between the headlines newsrooms led with on this story. It measures headlines, not the reporting beneath them.
The two furthest apart
- HTHindustan Times‘India is proud of Captain Machchhar’: PM Modi hails flydubai pilot, hopes for his speedy recovery
- MiMintFlyDubai flight 'hijack': Who is the co-pilot, and what we know and don't know about his motive
CoverageWhat we read
Language reach
Dailies carrying this story, against the dailies we read in each language.
- English6 of 9
- Hindiहिन्दी1 of 2
- Bengaliবাংলা2 of 2
- Marathiमराठी1 of 2
- Teluguతెలుగు1 of 2
- Tamilதமிழ்1 of 2
- Urduاردو1 of 2
- Kannadaಕನ್ನಡ1 of 1
- Odiaଓଡ଼ିଆ1 of 2
- Malayalamമലയാളം1 of 2
Regional reach
Where this story reached, and where it did not. National mastheads and wire agencies circulate everywhere and are counted separately, not drawn on the map.
- None carried this
- No source registered
- 1 outlet
- 2 or more
- NorthCarried2 of 4
- WestCarried1 of 5
- Central IndiaNot carried0 of 1
- EastCarried4 of 5
- North-eastCarried1 of 2
- SouthCarried6 of 10
18 of the 26 states we read have local coverage. Spread across the country, with no regional concentration. Also carried by 5 national mastheads.
About This Analysis
One summary, built from every source. No single newsroom's voice.
- 16
- Paksh
- 39
- Articles
- 8
- Key facts
Paksh: the sides a story is told from. 16 newsrooms filed on this one, and every filing is listed above.