Dubai, Oct 13, 2026 16:24 IST
Law enforcement authorities in the United Arab Emirates have detained two Maldivian pilots working for flydubai as part of an ongoing probe into an alleged attempt to hijack and crash a commercial aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The incident, which occurred on a September 30 flight, involved an alleged cockpit attack during which Indian Captain Smit Machchhar sustained injuries while successfully preventing the takeover.
The two Maldivian aviators were taken into custody on October 3, and the Maldivian Embassy in the UAE subsequently notified their families of the detentions. While Maldivian officials have chosen not to comment on the matter, UAE authorities have yet to release official statements detailing the exact nature of the allegations or the specific roles the two men are suspected to have played.
The arrests coincide with a broader, multi-jurisdictional investigation into the flight's Omani co-pilot, 29-year-old Hammam al-Hammami, who is accused of assaulting Captain Machchhar with an axe in what officials have termed a terrorist attack. According to regional reports, the two detained Maldivian pilots worked with al-Hammami and resided in the same residential building, though investigators have not clarified the precise nature of any connection.
The detained individuals are among six Maldivian nationals employed as pilots by flydubai, representing the carrier's most recent hires from the island nation. Flight FZ1073 was transporting 174 passengers and crew members when the mid-air confrontation unfolded. Despite serious injuries, Captain Machchhar resisted the assailant and managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling crew and passengers to intervene, subdue the co-pilot, and secure the aircraft before executing an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.
The UAE has classified the event as a terrorist attempt, noting that the primary suspect was suspected of harboring extremist views and had previously faced restrictions from Omani authorities regarding obtaining a commercial pilot's license. Investigators are currently scrutinizing how flydubai recruited the co-pilot despite the reported licensing hurdles, alongside exploring potential broader conspiracies.
Meanwhile, India's National Investigation Agency has filed a formal case under anti-hijacking and counter-terrorism legislation to examine the wider conspiracy behind the attack on the Indian captain. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs reported that Captain Machchhar is recovering well following surgery at an Abu Dhabi hospital, with the Indian Embassy maintaining close coordination with medical personnel, local authorities, and the pilot's family as international inquiries continue.