Flydubai Flight FZ1073 Probe Reveals Seven Major Findings in Alleged Airport Attack Plot

An investigation into the alleged attack involving flydubai flight FZ1073 has brought new details to light about the incident that took place on September 30. Findings released by UAE authorities have outlined the suspected motive, the preparations allegedly made by the co-pilot and the actions taken by crew members and passengers to prevent a potential catastrophe.

The case centres on a 29-year-old Omani co-pilot who allegedly attempted to take control of the aircraft and attack the cockpit captain with an emergency axe. According to investigators, the suspect intended to divert the plane towards Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and carry out a suicide attack targeting the passenger terminal.

The UAE Attorney-General, Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, announced the latest investigative findings on Friday, October 9. The information provides a clearer account of the alleged plot, including the suspect’s background, his earlier journeys to Israel, the checks conducted before he joined flydubai and the circumstances in which the aircraft was brought safely to the ground.

The findings also address several questions that emerged in the immediate aftermath of the incident. These included the intended target, the possibility of an earlier abandoned attempt, the role of the aircraft’s crew and whether the suspect had assistance from others.

Although investigators have established several important details, the case remains under examination, with authorities continuing to assess evidence and possible connections.

Here are seven major developments that help explain what investigators have uncovered so far.

1. Investigators identify the airport terminal as the alleged target

One of the most significant developments concerns the intended destination of the suspected attack.

Following the September 30 incident, initial accounts raised questions about whether the co-pilot had planned to crash the aircraft or use it to strike a particular location. Some early reports mentioned possible targets in Israel, including Ben Gurion Airport and a high-rise building in Tel Aviv.

The latest findings released by UAE authorities identify the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport as the alleged target.

According to prosecutors, the co-pilot intended to gain control of the aircraft and carry out a suicide attack that would result in the greatest possible loss of life.

This finding provides a more specific explanation of the alleged objective than the earlier reports, which had left the intended target uncertain.

The distinction is important because an attempt to take control of an aircraft can involve different motives and objectives. Investigators’ account now points towards an alleged plan directed at an airport terminal rather than an incident whose intended destination had not been established publicly.

Authorities say the suspect’s actions aboard FZ1073 were connected to this alleged plan. The investigation has examined the circumstances surrounding the assault in the cockpit and the steps taken by those aboard the aircraft to stop him.

The newly disclosed information therefore provides a clearer picture of what prosecutors believe the co-pilot intended to accomplish.

However, the findings should be understood as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. The alleged motive and intended target are based on the evidence presented by the authorities, and the case remains subject to the relevant legal proceedings.

2. Alleged radicalisation dates back to his student years in Australia

The suspect’s background and possible motivation were among the central questions following the incident.

In the first days after the event, different explanations emerged regarding what might have led the co-pilot to allegedly attempt such an attack. Reports raised questions about extremist beliefs, online activity and other possible personal factors.

The latest investigation has traced the alleged development of his extremist views to 2017, when he was studying in Australia.

According to prosecutors, the suspect was influenced by takfiri ideology through extremist publications and online material that glorified terrorist organisations and suicide attacks.

Authorities have also stated that the co-pilot admitted being inspired by the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.

These details provide investigators with a longer timeline of the suspect’s alleged radicalisation than was publicly available immediately after the September 30 incident.

The findings suggest that the authorities are examining not only the events inside the aircraft but also the suspect’s earlier exposure to extremist material and the development of the beliefs prosecutors say influenced his actions.

His alleged ideological influences are relevant to the investigation because they may help explain the motive behind the suspected plot and the preparations made before the flight.

Nevertheless, the existence of extremist material or particular ideological beliefs does not, on its own, establish every element of a criminal allegation. Investigators must consider the complete evidence, including the suspect’s statements and the circumstances of the alleged offence.

The latest information gives a more detailed account of the background being examined by prosecutors, while leaving the judicial process to determine the legal conclusions arising from the evidence.

3. Two previous journeys to Tel Aviv were allegedly part of the preparations

Another important finding concerns two earlier flights the co-pilot reportedly took to Tel Aviv before the September 30 incident.

Before the latest announcement, some reports suggested that the suspect might have considered carrying out an earlier attack in July but abandoned the plan at the last moment. Some accounts also suggested that the presence of an acquaintance on board may have influenced that decision.

The UAE investigation has now established that the two earlier journeys were used to familiarise himself with the route and Ben Gurion Airport as part of the alleged preparations for the plot.

According to the findings, the flights served a reconnaissance purpose rather than being ordinary journeys unrelated to the investigation.

This information adds an important element to the account of the alleged planning. It indicates that investigators believe the suspect had taken steps to become familiar with the destination before the incident involving FZ1073.

However, the new findings do not independently confirm every claim made in earlier reports about a possible abandoned attack in July.

In particular, the available account does not establish whether the suspect previously intended to carry out an attack on another flight and then changed his mind because someone he knew was travelling with him.

The distinction between confirmed investigative findings and earlier speculation remains important when assessing the case.

What prosecutors have disclosed is that the two earlier journeys to Tel Aviv formed part of the preparations they attribute to the suspect. The circumstances and significance of those flights are being considered within the broader investigation.

The revelation adds another dimension to the case because it points to alleged preparation before the day of the incident, rather than an attack that investigators believe emerged without any prior planning.

4. Flydubai’s recruitment procedures were examined by investigators

Questions also emerged about how the suspect was able to obtain employment as a co-pilot despite the extremist beliefs prosecutors have attributed to him.

Some earlier reports suggested that Oman Air had removed him from flying duties because of concerns about his views and transferred him to an administrative position.

The latest findings provide a timeline of his employment history and describe the recruitment checks examined during the investigation.

According to prosecutors, the suspect worked for Oman Air from 2020 until 2024. He subsequently joined Royal Air Maroc in 2025 before beginning employment with flydubai in January 2026.

Investigators reviewed the procedures followed by flydubai when recruiting him. Their findings indicated that he had satisfied the professional and security requirements applicable to his employment.

These checks included verification of his pilot’s licence, the submission of a certificate of good conduct and completion of the required screening procedures.

According to prosecutors, those procedures did not reveal the extremist beliefs or intentions attributed to him in the investigation.

The finding raises a broader question about the limits of employment screening, particularly in professions where workers have access to aircraft and other sensitive operational environments.

Professional qualifications and standard background checks are designed to assess defined requirements. However, the fact that an individual meets those requirements does not necessarily mean that every aspect of their beliefs, intentions or future conduct will be identified.

The investigation has examined whether the applicable recruitment procedures were followed and what those checks revealed at the time.

The information released so far does not establish that flydubai knowingly employed someone planning an attack. Instead, the findings indicate that the recruitment process reviewed by investigators did not uncover the concerns prosecutors subsequently attributed to the suspect.

Any wider conclusions about screening practices would require consideration of the evidence, the procedures in force and the circumstances of the individual case.

5. Forensic findings support the account of an emergency-axe assault

The circumstances of the cockpit confrontation were another area of uncertainty in the initial reporting.

Early accounts differed over the nature of the assault on Captain Smit Machchhar, with some reports describing a stabbing and raising questions about the weapon involved.

UAE authorities subsequently stated on October 3 that the co-pilot had attacked the captain using an emergency axe.

The latest investigative announcement adds forensic findings to that account.

According to prosecutors, the captain sustained injuries concentrated around his head, a particularly vulnerable part of the body where serious trauma can be life-threatening.

Investigators said the forensic evidence was consistent with accounts provided by the suspect, the injured captain and witnesses.

The convergence of these accounts is significant because investigators can compare witness statements with medical findings and other evidence when reconstructing an incident.

In this case, the reported forensic results support the authorities’ account of the assault and provide additional information about the injuries suffered by the captain.

The findings also help explain why the actions of the other people aboard the aircraft were critical. The confrontation took place in the cockpit, where the captain’s ability to operate the plane was affected by the attack.

According to the investigative account, intervention by another pilot, a cabin crew member and passengers helped stop the assault and bring the situation under control.

The captain’s injuries and the circumstances of the confrontation remain part of the evidence being examined by authorities.

The forensic findings provide an additional basis for the prosecution’s reconstruction of events, although the ultimate legal assessment of the allegations rests with the relevant judicial process.

6. Investigators clarify how the aircraft was brought safely to the ground

One of the most widely discussed questions following the incident concerned who took control of FZ1073 and landed it after the captain was injured.

Initial reports generated uncertainty about the roles played by the people aboard the aircraft. Some accounts suggested that an Israeli plumber with no flying experience had helped land the plane safely.

The latest UAE findings provide a different and more detailed account of the professional pilots’ involvement.

According to prosecutors, a pilot who had been assigned to operate the aircraft on its return journey was near the cockpit when he noticed the door opening and closing repeatedly.

The unusual activity raised concerns, prompting him to approach the cockpit and attempt to gain entry using the access code.

After entering, he reportedly saw the co-pilot attacking Captain Machchhar with an emergency axe.

The pilot immediately intervened. A cabin crew member and several passengers also assisted in stopping the assault, helping the injured captain and restraining the suspect.

Their intervention was crucial in preventing the confrontation from continuing and allowing the aircraft’s operation to be brought back under control.

Once the immediate danger had been addressed, the captain assigned to the return flight and his co-pilot took control of the aircraft.

According to the prosecution’s account, they diverted the plane to Saudi Arabia and landed safely at Tabuk Airport.

The findings therefore identify the professional pilots’ role in managing the aircraft after the incident and clarify the sequence of events that led to the safe landing.

Although the pilots’ actions have been described by investigators, their identities have not been publicly disclosed in the information provided.

The account also highlights the contribution of the cabin crew and passengers, whose intervention helped stop the attack and support the injured captain.

The safe landing was the result of several actions rather than a single individual’s intervention. The response involved recognising that something was wrong, entering the cockpit, stopping the assault and restoring control of the aircraft.

The new details provide a clearer explanation of how the situation was brought under control and why the actions of those aboard the flight were so important.

7. The suspect reportedly admitted acting alone, but inquiries continue

Another major question was whether the co-pilot had acted independently or had received assistance from other individuals.

In the days following the incident, speculation emerged about possible connections to terrorist organisations or outside actors. Investigators needed to establish whether the alleged plot involved only the suspect or formed part of a wider plan.

The UAE Public Prosecution has since obtained a detailed confession from the suspect in the presence of his lawyer and under the required legal safeguards.

According to prosecutors, he admitted carrying out the alleged plan independently and said that no other people had been involved.

The statement provides investigators with information about the suspect’s account of the incident and his alleged preparations.

However, authorities have not treated the reported confession as the end of the inquiry.

The Public Prosecution is continuing to examine the available evidence, investigate potential accomplices or other connections and review recordings and technical reports relevant to the case.

This continuing work is important because a suspect’s statement must be assessed alongside other evidence. Investigators may need to determine whether the account is consistent with communications, travel records, witness testimony and the technical information gathered during the inquiry.

The investigation therefore remains open despite the reported admission that the suspect acted alone.

At this stage, the authorities’ findings establish what the suspect reportedly told investigators, but further examination is intended to establish whether any additional individuals or connections were involved.

The outcome of those inquiries may help clarify the full circumstances of the alleged plot and determine whether the evidence supports further legal action.

What the seven findings reveal about the investigation

The latest announcement provides a more detailed account of the alleged events surrounding flydubai flight FZ1073.

First, prosecutors have identified the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport as the alleged target. Second, they have traced the suspect’s reported extremist influences to his student years in Australia. Third, investigators say two earlier journeys to Tel Aviv were used to familiarise himself with the route and airport.

The findings also explain the employment history and recruitment checks examined by authorities, add forensic support to the account of the cockpit assault, clarify how professional pilots and others aboard the aircraft intervened, and disclose the suspect’s reported claim that he acted alone.

Taken together, these details provide a clearer picture of what investigators believe happened before and during the September 30 incident.

They also help distinguish findings announced by the authorities from claims that appeared in early media reports but have not been independently established by the information released so far.

The investigation is continuing, with prosecutors examining additional evidence and possible connections. The final legal conclusions will depend on the proceedings and the assessment of the evidence under the applicable law.

For now, the seven developments represent the main findings publicly outlined by UAE authorities in their investigation of the alleged attack involving flight FZ1073.