Flydubai captain describes cockpit axe attack in alleged crash plot toward Ben Gurion Airport

A Flydubai captain has described being attacked in the cockpit by a co-pilot who Emirati authorities allege tried to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The account comes in a new interview in which Captain Smit Machchhar said he was struck repeatedly with an axe while the plane was carrying 174 passengers en route to Israel. The aircraft was in Saudi airspace when the attack took place.

Mr Machchhar said he struggled to stay conscious after being hit in the back of the head and initially feared there had been damage to the roof of the aircraft. He said he realised what was happening only after regaining some composure and noticing his restricted vision. According to his account, his first priority was to protect himself from further blows and then get out of the cockpit.

He said he freed himself from his seatbelts, tried to block the blows as much as he could, opened the cockpit door and screamed for help. He added that he believed he lost consciousness at that point. He later described the scene outside the cockpit as one of panic and shouting.

The co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, has been accused by Emirati authorities of attempting a suicide attack. The allegations have drawn attention because they involve an alleged attempt to turn a passenger flight into a weapon against a major airport. Ben Gurion Airport is Israel's main international gateway, and any credible threat to it has wider implications for aviation security in the region.

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The case also raises questions about screening, cockpit security and the handling of suspected radicalisation claims. Emirati authorities have said the accused co-pilot was radicalised while studying in Melbourne, although Australian authorities have not verified that claim. The interview adds a first-person account to the allegations already made by officials, and it underlines the seriousness of the incident for the airline, passengers and aviation regulators.

It also places the focus on how the attack was stopped before the aircraft could be used in the alleged plot. What remains unclear is the full sequence of events inside the cockpit and what evidence investigators have gathered to support the crash allegation. It is also not clear what further action will follow in the case or whether any additional official findings will be released.

For now, the incident remains a developing aviation security and counter-terrorism matter with cross-border implications.

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