UAE investigators call Flydubai cockpit attack an attempted terrorist act

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United Arab Emirates investigators say a co-pilot’s attack inside the cockpit of a Flydubai flight was an attempted terrorist act. The September 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely.

In an October 3 statement carried by the official WAM news agency, UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigators had found evidence that the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft.

The statement represents the authorities’ account of an ongoing criminal investigation. It does not establish a conviction, and investigators have not completed their examination of motives or possible links to others.

Safe landing after cockpit emergency

Reuters reported that a reserve pilot landed the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and that the accused co-pilot was detained there before being transferred to Abu Dhabi. The airline’s chief executive had described the episode as a cockpit safety incident on October 2.

According to the Associated Press, the captain described opening the cockpit door after being injured, allowing others to intervene. Flydubai said crew members travelling on the aircraft helped stabilize the situation and bring the flight to a safe landing.

The sequence described in those accounts places the crew’s response at the center of how the emergency ended. It does not, by itself, answer how the alleged attack developed or what warning signs may have existed beforehand.

Questions remain under investigation

UAE authorities say investigators are reviewing physical, digital and technical evidence. WAM’s account said final findings would be announced after the required procedures were completed.

AP reported that Flydubai declined to comment beyond its existing statements. That leaves important details dependent on further official findings and any subsequent court proceedings.

For now, the distinction between the safe outcome and the unresolved cause is essential. The landing ended the immediate airborne emergency; the investigation must still establish the full circumstances and responsibility. Any broader conclusions about motive, affiliations or security failures require evidence beyond the initial allegations.

Sources

• WAM: UAE attorney general statement, October 3
• Reuters: UAE investigation and flight diversion, October 3
• Associated Press: flight incident and airline response, October 3