Full coverage· Security· Updated 9 Nov, 22:04

Israel Recognizes Flydubai Passengers as Terror Victims After Hijacking Attempt

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has officially recognized the passengers of Flydubai Flight 1073 as victims of hostile acts, following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and Mossad that classified the incident as a premeditated nationalistic terror attack. The decision has been forwarded to the National Insurance Institute, which will contact the passengers and their families to process claims for physical or psychological harm. While the collective recognition is automatic, passengers must undergo mandatory medical assessments to determine their disability percentages, with those assessed at 20% or higher qualifying for monthly pensions and state support.

21 newsrooms · 4 languages · since 9 Nov, 16:50

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What happened

01The Ministry of Defense recognized passengers of Flydubai Flight 1073 as victims of hostile acts following a Shin Bet and Mossad investigation.
02On September 30, 2026, Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hamami attacked the captain with an axe to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.
03The Boeing 737 MAX plunged thousands of feet and neared the speed of sound before passengers subdued the attacker.
04Israeli passengers Yaniv Hayun, Assaf Rajwan, and Tzvika Mans entered the cockpit and subdued al-Hamami.
05Off-duty pilots Rowan Toth and Hanson Stephen took control and landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
06The National Insurance Institute will process claims, with passengers requiring a medical assessment of 20% disability or higher for monthly pensions.
07President Isaac Herzog awarded bravery medals to the passengers who intervened, while the UAE honored the landing pilots.
08Passengers have established an administration and are preparing multi-million dollar lawsuits against Flydubai over the security failures.

The incident occurred on September 30, 2026, during a routine flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying 174 passengers, mostly Israelis. The co-pilot, Hamam al-Hamami, a 29-year-old Omani national, attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, with an emergency axe in an attempt to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport. The plane plunged thousands of feet, experiencing extreme G-forces and a rapid dive, before the injured captain managed to open the cockpit door. Israeli passengers Yaniv Hayun, Assaf Rajwan, and Tzvika Mans intervened and subdued the attacker.

Two off-duty pilots on board, Rowan Toth of South Africa and Hanson Stephen of Fiji, took control of the aircraft and executed an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Saudi authorities apprehended al-Hamami. Investigations in the United Arab Emirates revealed that al-Hamami had been radicalized in Australia, inspired by the September 11 attacks, and had planned the plot since 2017. President Isaac Herzog awarded medals of bravery to the passengers who confronted the attacker, while the UAE honored the pilots who landed the plane. Affected passengers are reportedly preparing multi-million dollar lawsuits against Flydubai.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 14 newsrooms. Updated 00:47