Flydubai Co-Pilot Used Crash Axe in Attempted Hijacking, UAE Says

The co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073 used a crash axe in an attempt to carry out what United Arab Emirates prosecutors are calling a "terrorist attack" during a flight bound for Israel, according to a statement from the UAE prosecutor general cited by a state news agency.

Officials said the co-pilot also attempted to take control of the aircraft during Wednesday's incident, sending the plane into a sharp plunge that nearly caused it to crash. The flight was carrying 182 people when passengers and crew intervened to subdue the co-pilot and stabilize the aircraft.

According to the UAE statement, the suspect had reportedly been barred from flying by Oman in the past because of extremist views, a detail now under scrutiny as investigators examine how he came to be employed as a co-pilot despite that history.

Authorities have not yet detailed the full timeline of the attack or disclosed further information about the suspect's background, employment history, or the specific security lapses, if any, that allowed him to serve as a flight crew member.

The incident has drawn attention to screening procedures for airline personnel in the region, though neither Flydubai nor UAE aviation regulators have issued a detailed public response on potential policy changes.