UAE authorities have officially declared the violent mid-air assault aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 a “terrorist attack.” Officials revealed that Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami used the aircraft’s crash axe to attack Indian Captain Smit Machchhar in a bid to seize control of the Boeing 737 carrying 174 passengers.
In a official statement, the UAE Attorney General confirmed that Captain Machchhar and cabin crew members fought off the assailant with the help of passengers who rushed the cockpit. Anwar Gargash, senior diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, hailed Captain Machchhar on X as a “true hero” whose courage and professionalism prevented a potential mass disaster.
Extremist Vetting Under Scrutiny The co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami by Saudi outlet Al-Arabiya and confirmed by diplomats to the Associated Press, is now the focal point of a multi-agency terrorism probe.
Investigators revealed that al-Hammami—born in the UAE to a Syrian mother—had previously been barred from flying duties at Oman Air over extremist concerns and reassigned to a ground role. He later worked for Royal Air Maroc before joining flydubai around February 2026. Questions remain regarding how he bypassed security screening despite his history.
A social media and digital footprint analysis uncovered a now-deleted LinkedIn account linked to al-Hammami. Posts published on the day of the attack featured cockpit video clips alongside imagery of former al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri and al-Qaeda suicide bomber Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi. Colleagues described al-Hammami as “deeply religious,” noting he refused to shake hands with women.