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Omani co-pilot attempted axe stabbing, pilots regained control

By Drooid · Oct 6, 2026, 5:30 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami used a cockpit axe to stab Captain Smit Machchhar, attempting a terrorist attack.
The 737 MAX plunged roughly 16,000 feet in 30 seconds, carrying 182 passengers and crew.
Two off-duty pilots entered the cockpit, regained control and landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Oman barred al-Hammami in 2024 for extremist views, but Flydubai hired him; investigators say he planned to crash at Ben Gurion.

History

Historical Context

The September 11 2001 al-Qaeda attacks, carried out by 19 hijackers, spurred the FBI’s massive PENTTBOM probe and led the FAA to record about 1,000 aircraft-security breaches that year. Decades later, Flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami brandished an axe on a 737 MAX in 2024, prompting the ICAO to tighten cockpit-door standards and crew-training worldwide.

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Story summary

Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami used a cockpit axe to stab Captain Smit Machchhar, attempting a terrorist attack.
The 737 MAX plunged roughly 16,000 feet in 30 seconds, carrying 182 passengers and crew.
Two off-duty pilots entered the cockpit, regained control and landed the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Oman barred al-Hammami in 2024 for extremist views, but Flydubai hired him; investigators say he planned to crash at Ben Gurion.

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