The investigation into the mid-air attack aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 has widened dramatically, with two more pilots taken into custody in the United Arab Emirates on suspicion of links to the alleged hijack attempt. The detentions signal that investigators now believe the September 30 cockpit assault on Indian captain Smit Machchhar may not have been the work of one rogue co-pilot alone.
According to reports by Maldivian news outlet Adhadhu, the two men, both Maldivian nationals employed as flydubai pilots, were arrested last Saturday. They were not on board flight FZ1073 when the attack took place. The Maldivian Embassy in the UAE has formally informed their families about the detention, though neither the UAE nor Maldivian authorities have issued an official announcement so far.
What happened aboard flight FZ1073
The case began on September 30, when flydubai flight FZ1073 departed Dubai for Tel Aviv with 174 passengers and crew on board. Mid-flight, co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national, allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and stabbed him inside the cockpit in an apparent attempt to seize control of the aircraft.
Despite serious injuries, Machchhar fought back, broke free and managed to unlock the cockpit door. Crew members and passengers rushed in, overpowered the co-pilot and restrained him. The aircraft was diverted and landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. The UAE has described the incident as a suspected terrorist attack.
Machchhar, an Indian national with more than 13 years of flying experience, underwent an operation at a hospital in Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of External Affairs has said he is responding well to treatment, and the Indian Embassy in the UAE remains in regular contact with his family, doctors and local authorities.
The two new arrests
Reports citing Maldivian newspaper Mihaaru say the detained pilots were among the airline’s most recent Maldivian recruits and that both had worked alongside al-Hammami and lived in the same building as him. Both are also said to have flown to Israel in the past. They are among six Maldivian nationals currently working as pilots with flydubai.
Authorities have not publicly stated what exactly the two are accused of, and they have not been formally charged. The absence of an official announcement has left families and observers waiting for clarity on whether the men are being treated as suspects or detained as witnesses in a widening terror investigation.
Investigators are looking closely at al-Hammami’s background. Reports say Omani authorities had earlier refused to grant him a pilot’s licence, and UAE officials suspect extremist ideological leanings. The airline itself has only described the original event as an “altercation” on the flight deck.
A passenger’s unsettling new claims
Adding to the unease, a passenger identified as Assaf has shared a new account of what happened after the aircraft landed. According to his testimony, some crew members allegedly tried to loosen the accused co-pilot’s restraints after he was overpowered. He also claimed someone attempted to put a mysterious pill into the injured captain’s mouth, and that passengers were prevented from recording what was happening.
The passenger further alleged that the flight was staffed entirely by an all-male cabin crew, raising questions about whether the roster itself was unusual. These claims have not been independently verified by authorities, but they have sharpened scrutiny of the airline’s response and crew selection for the flight.
India’s NIA takes up the case
Back home, India’s National Investigation Agency registered a case last week to probe the wider conspiracy behind the attack. The FIR was filed on October 9 under the Anti-Hijacking Act, 2016, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, treating the incident as an apparent attempt to hijack or crash the aircraft.
The development drew high-level attention in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Machchhar soon after the attack and praised his courage and presence of mind. The pilot’s actions also drew appreciation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and officials in the UAE.
What the widening probe means for aviation security
The detentions land at a sensitive moment for Gulf aviation. flydubai is one of the busiest low-cost carriers connecting the Gulf with South Asia, and the possibility that an extremist network may have reached inside a cockpit has alarmed regulators and crews alike.
- Background vetting of flight crew is under fresh scrutiny after the claim that al-Hammami was denied a pilot’s licence in his home country.
- Cockpit access protocols are being reviewed following the use of a crash axe, a tool kept on the flight deck for emergencies, as a weapon.
- Crew rostering practices may face questions in light of the all-male cabin crew claim.
Until the UAE releases official findings, much of the story remains in the shadows. What is clear is that an incident once described as an altercation is now being treated as a suspected terror conspiracy with international dimensions, and the coming days could bring more disclosures.
FAQs
What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?
On September 30, Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with an axe inside the cockpit during a Dubai to Tel Aviv flight. Machchhar resisted and unlocked the cockpit door, allowing others to overpower the co-pilot. The plane landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Why were two more pilots arrested in the UAE?
Two Maldivian flydubai pilots were detained on October 3 over suspected links to the accused co-pilot. Reports say they had worked with him and lived in the same building. They have not been publicly charged.
How is Captain Smit Machchhar now?
He underwent an operation in Abu Dhabi and is responding well to treatment, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. The Indian Embassy in the UAE is monitoring his condition.
What is the NIA doing about the case?
India’s National Investigation Agency registered a case on October 9 under the Anti-Hijacking Act and UAPA to investigate whether a larger conspiracy was behind the mid-air attack.
As investigators sift through flight rosters, phone records and crew histories, the flydubai case has become one of the most closely watched aviation security stories of the year, and a test of how transparent airlines and authorities are willing to be.
