Axe attack at 30,000 feet? How Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar stopped mid-air horror

The UAE says the co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073 attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a cockpit crash axe and tried to seize the aircraft’s controls during a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight. UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi described the incident as an attempted terrorist act, while investigators examine the motive, possible connections, and physical and digital evidence. The flight, carrying 174 people, was diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia. Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed praised the injured Indian captain’s courage and actions to protect passengers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged Islamist radicalisation, but the investigation remains ongoing.