U.A.E. says FlyDubai co-pilot attacked captain during midair incident

U.A.E. prosecutors said the copilot on a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft in what they described as a terrorist attack. The incident happened on Wednesday as the plane was flying from the United Arab Emirates to Israel with more than 170 people on board. Passengers and crew intervened after the captain, who was seriously injured, managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing others to stop the copilot and help stabilize the plane. The aircraft dropped sharply over Saudi Arabia before making an emergency landing there. Investigators from the U.A.E., Israel and other countries are examining the copilot’s background, possible motives and how he was cleared to work in the cockpit. FlyDubai said the case remains under investigation.