UAE Attorney General: FlyDubai Pilot's Radicalization Began in Australia

The incident occurred on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was carrying approximately 180 passengers, including 27 children. During the flight, the co-pilot entered the cockpit and attacked the captain, Smith Macher, stabbing him multiple times and striking him with an emergency axe. The captain resisted, and the return flight captain, noticing unusual door activity, entered the cockpit using the security code. Assisted by a flight attendant and several passengers, they subdued the attacker and safely diverted the aircraft to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

According to the UAE investigation, the co-pilot's radicalization began in 2017 while he was studying in Melbourne, Australia, where he frequented a mosque and was exposed to extremist literature. He pursued aviation specifically to execute such an attack, working for Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc before joining Flydubai in January 2026. Although Omani authorities discovered his extremist views in 2024 and placed him in a de-radicalization program, they did not share this information internationally. The co-pilot had previously flown to Tel Aviv twice to scout the flight path and airport layout.

While the suspect claimed he acted alone, UAE investigators are continuing to probe for potential accomplices. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a comprehensive review of security procedures for foreign flights, and Flydubai suspended its flights to Israel. To assist stranded Israeli travelers, Arkia Airlines scheduled an extra flight between Tel Aviv and Bangkok for October 14.