Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:57pm on 04 Oct 2026,Sunday International
An Omani co-pilot who allegedly attacked flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar mid-flight may have shut down the Boeing 737’s engines after his reported plan to crash the aircraft in Tel Aviv failed, Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported. The co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Machchhar with a crash axe before attempting to take control of the aircraft. The plane then rapidly lost altitude, while cabin emergency lights suggested a possible loss of main power. Investigators are reportedly examining whether the co-pilot moved the engine fuel switches from “Run” to “Cutoff”. Passengers and off-duty pilots eventually overpowered him, allowing the aircraft to land safely in Saudi Arabia. (PC: X)
