Flydubai flight attack: Why was a crash axe inside the cockpit? Was it used to attack Captain Smit Machchhar?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Flydubai flight attack: Why was a crash axe inside the cockpit? Was it used to attack Captain Smit Machchhar?")
Smit Machchhar was the captain of Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv Photograph: (Others)
A flydubai pilot was allegedly attacked with a cockpit crash axe, triggering a steep descent before the flight diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia
In the hours since reports emerged of an alleged terror attack aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel, one question has dominated: how was a pilot able to access a weapon inside the cockpit and seriously injure his colleague, sending the aircraft into a dangerous descent and forcing it to divert to Saudi Arabia? The details remain under investigation. Initial reports suggested that the Omani co-pilot had used a knife, possibly cutlery from the aircraft, to attack Indian captain Smit Machchhar.
However, a new report by CBS News indicates that the alleged attacker may not have brought any external weapon into the cockpit. Instead, he is believed to have used a crash axe, also known as a fire axe, which is kept inside the cockpit as emergency equipment. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said earlier that a crash axe was used in the alleged attack. The incident unfolded around two and a half hours after the flight departed Dubai. According to Flightradar24, the aircraft plunged from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet, roughly 10,000 metres to 5,100 metres, in around a minute. The plane then made an erratic circle near the Jordanian border before eventually landing in the Saudi city of Tabuk about an hour later.
A person who heard the aircraft's communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually being allowed to land in Tabuk. Passengers could reportedly be heard screaming in the background as the pilot made an emergency call. The pilot's voice was described as trembling as he declared ‘mayday’ and said a hijacking was taking place.
Why was an axe inside the cockpit?
A crash axe is standard emergency equipment aboard commercial aircraft. Under international aviation regulations, commercial airliners are required to carry such equipment, which is intended to help crews deal with emergencies, including situations involving damaged aircraft or blocked access after a crash. Historically, axes were stored in passenger cabins. However, following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, aviation security procedures changed and such equipment was moved to the cockpit on many aircraft. The crash axe is now generally kept within the pilots' reach, allowing it to be accessed quickly during an emergency.
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Co-pilot's identity and motive remain unclear
The identity of the Omani co-pilot and the motive behind the alleged attack have not been publicly established. Netanyahu has said that the co-pilot was arrested. Authorities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have provided limited public details, saying investigations are underway. Flydubai has also announced the suspension of its flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues.
The incident occurred amid heightened security concerns in Israel, with the country approaching the anniversary of the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war in Gaza. Speaking to CNN, Netanyahu said Captain Machchhar and the passengers who entered the cockpit ‘managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster’.
