Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says
A Flydubai co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, causing the plane to lose significant altitude. Passengers and crew successfully subdued the attacker, and the flight landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Why it matters
This incident highlights critical aviation security vulnerabilities regarding cockpit access and the potential for insider threats in commercial aviation.
Image source, Embassy of India in Israel Image caption, The Indian government has praised captain Smit Machchhar for his "immense courage" during the attack
The co-pilot who attempted to take control of a Flydubai plane travelling to Israel attacked the pilot with a crash axe, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general has said.
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying more than 170 people plunged 17,000ft (5,200m) two and a half hours into its journey, before passengers managed to overpower the attacker and successfully take control of the plane.
Capt Smit Machchhar said he was lying on the floor injured when he realised the plane was sinking and he had to act, explaining: "I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside", which allowed the passengers in.
Two reserve pilots then landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.
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