UAE Says FlyDubai Co-Pilot Attack Was an Attempted Terrorist Act
FlyDubai attack probe: UAE calls axe assault an attempted terrorist act See how crew and passengers stopped the hijack attempt and landed safely
The United Arab Emirates said the FlyDubai incident in which a copilot attacked the captain with an axe was an attempted terrorist act. Authorities said the attack took place during a Sept. 30 flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and that the copilot tried to take control of the aircraft.
According to FlyDubai, the plane was carrying 172 passengers and crew. It landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew subdued the copilot, and the injured captain was later reported in stable condition.
UAE officials said investigations are continuing to determine the motive and whether there were any links to the attack. The aircraft experienced major altitude changes before declaring an emergency, according to flight tracking data.