National Insurance Recognizes Flydubai Incident as Hostile Act

The incident occurred approximately six weeks before the announcement, on a flight carrying over 170 Israelis from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot, an Omani citizen named Mham Al-Hamami who was trained in the UK, attacked and stabbed the captain, Smith Machar, causing the aircraft to lose control and plummet sharply. Al-Hamami, who had undergone radicalization in Australia, admitted he was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.

A major disaster was averted when Israeli passengers intervened, entered the cockpit, and subdued the attacker. The flight transmitted a potential hijacking code and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where local authorities arrested the suspect. President Yitzhak Herzog later presented medals of valor to the heroes of the flight, including Yaniv Hayun, Tzvika and Tali Mans, Or Pardilov, Assaf Radwan, and Dr. Shota Musayev, who provided life-saving medical treatment to the captain.

Following the defense ministry's recognition, the National Insurance Institute will handle support and disability claims for the affected passengers. The institute is urging those who were harmed to come forward to receive medical and psychological assistance.