UAE prosecutor says flydubai co-pilot used crash axe in cockpit attack
The UAE prosecutor said on 3 October 2026 that the co-pilot used a crash axe in the 30 September cockpit attack. Investigators are still examining the motive.
In short
- The UAE prosecutor said on 3 October 2026 that the co-pilot used a crash axe in the 30 September cockpit attack.
- Investigators are still examining the motive.
The United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on 3 October 2026 that the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 used a crash axe to attack the captain and tried to take control of the aircraft during its 30 September flight to Israel.
The prosecutor described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, according to a UAE state news agency statement reported by The Guardian. The authorities’ characterisation comes as investigators continue to examine the circumstances and motive.
Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot after the aircraft entered a steep descent, officials said. The plane, carrying 182 people, made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The captain and co-pilot were subsequently taken to the UAE, which is leading the investigation.
The injured captain has described unlocking the cockpit door so that others could enter and intervene. The new prosecutor’s statement identifies a crash axe, a tool carried for emergencies, as the weapon used in the attack.
The Guardian’s report includes material from Associated Press and Reuters. An Al Jazeera source item separately reports the prosecutor’s statement and says the inquiry is still examining the motive. The available reports do not establish a final investigative finding on why the attack occurred.
