Photo Credit: Giuseppe Cacace/Getty Images via Time
In the early hours of Sept. 30, FlyDubai Flight 1073 dropped 16,000 feet in just over 30 seconds while carrying 174 passengers. The quick thinking of a pilot and passengers averted what could have otherwise been a disaster.
UAE Attorney General Attorney Hamad Saif Al Shamsi claimed the attack was inspired by the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and that Omani copilot Hamam al-Hammami attempted to hijack the plane with the intent to crash it into the terminals at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
According to BBC News, al-Hammami used the crash ax found in the cockpit to stab pilot Smit Machchhar. As he bled, the pilot used his remaining energy to open the door to the cockpit. This allowed passengers to access the locked cockpit and stop the hijacking.
“The co-pilot, he wanted to pray. And suddenly there was a big blow to the back of my head," Machchhar said, according to CBS News. "I did try to stop him, and that's when I gave everything that I had, and just went for the door and opened the door and thankfully people were waiting."
Among these passengers was plumber Yaniv Hayun. Upon entering the cockpit, Hayun found al-Hammami attempting to smash the control panel to try to bring the plane down. Hayun and some other passengers were able to subdue and restrain the hijacker. Hayun then quickly leveled out the plane. When asked why he knew how to stabilize the aircraft, Hayun replied, “I watch Air Crash Investigation, Mr. Prime Minister,” he said, according to Reuters.
During the incident, the plane’s rudder, which turns the nose side to side, was broken off during the ascent after Hayun pulled back on the yoke to stabilize the aircraft. During the ordeal, the Boeing 737 MAX experienced 3.08G of force, although it was only designed to withstand 2.5G, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Retired Col. Steve Ganyard, a former US Marine Corps fighter pilot and contributor to ABC News said, "This airplane is going 600 miles an hour, pointed at the ground, and a passenger on board is able to pull back on the yoke, and pull the nose up out of the dive, and not rip anything more than the rudder off the airplane." Ganyard further noted, "That force of gravity, like you feel in a roller coaster, if you go up about four Gs, you are likely to damage that aircraft if not break the wings off.”
By chance, two of the passengers aboard were off-duty pilots deadheading to their next flight. The two acting pilots assumed the controls and flew the remainder of the way. The plane had been enroute from Dubai International to Ben Gurion International Airport, but was diverted to Tabuk Airport, in Saudi Arabia. Upon landing safely, Machchhar was sent to the ICU at the local hospital.
In the attack, Machchhar suffered a skull fracture, damaged vision, and serious injuries to his head and hands. According to a report from Firstpost, in a conversation with Netanyahu, Machchhar said, "I tried to stop him. But because of the initial blows, my vision was almost nothing. I was completely blurred out […] My memory is still in bits and pieces right now. But this is what I remember of that time.” Dr. Shota Musaev, who was the only doctor on board the plane, treated the stab wounds on Machchhar’s head and hands.
“If he hadn't been smart and heroic, we would not be alive. On the other hand, if we had not been heroes, he would not be alive," Musaev said, referring to Machchhar, according to CBS News. A recent report from News On AIR noted that Machchhar is currently recovering at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi and he hopes to return to flying.
“I will be back in action hopefully soon. And I can’t wait to put on the uniform and get back to work […] Did my love die for aviation? Not at all. Not at all,” he said.
Over the past three years, FlyDubai went on a mass hiring streak, in order to provide more low-cost flights, which has led to questions from aviation experts. According to the Wall Street Journal, Al-Hammami had previously worked for Oman Air from 2020–2024, but was fired over concerns that he harboured extremist ideology. It remains unclear whether Oman Air shared its concerns about the pilot’s radicalization with other countries or airlines.
This attempted hijacking has raised security concerns as both the UAE and Israel try to determine how this could have slipped through their security protocols. Before graduating to captain, first officers are supposed to be vetted by FlyDubai’s in-house psychology division, according to a former pilot at the company and active crew member at the sister carrier, Emirates.
“He had met the professional and security requirements for employment, including holding a pilot’s license, providing a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks,” Al Shamsi said, according to The Wall Street Journal. “However, none of the procedures revealed any indications of his extremist views or his intention to carry out a terrorist plot.”
In a statement, FlyDubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith wrote, “I know there are many questions about what happened on board FZ 1073. A full official investigation, led by the relevant authorities and fully supported by FlyDubai, is underway. It is important that we allow this process to establish the facts.”
He added, “We are deeply grateful that everyone on board FZ 1073 is safe, and for the continued support of our customers, our people and our industry partners.”
To date, al-Hammami has not been linked to any specific terrorist groups, and no group has claimed credit. The UAE and Israel continue to investigate, and the story continues to evolve as more information about specific details is released to the public.