Riga, October 4, 2026. Latvian media outlets Jauns, LA.lv, and TVNET have published virtually identical texts regarding the incident on Flydubai's FZ1073 flight. According to these reports, the co-pilot attacked the commander with the emergency axe in an attempt to take control of the aircraft, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30. This information comes from the Emirates News Agency (WAM), which is based on the prosecution's findings in the United Arab Emirates, and was released on Saturday, October 3.

The headlines emphasize the dramatic nature of the incident. LA.lv writes that "the incident turned out to be more serious than initially announced"; Jauns describes it as a "terrible incident". The Emirati authorities consider the facts to constitute an attempted terrorist act, according to the prosecution's report. The Israeli government had already used the same qualification, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot had been indoctrinated by an Islamist ideology.

The account of the events is detailed. The plane, which was carrying 182 people, rapidly lost altitude during the attack. The commander, an Indian national, was seriously injured but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing the passengers and crew to subdue the assailant and stabilize the aircraft. The plane made an emergency landing in Tabouk, Saudi Arabia. The articles specify that emergency axes are part of the mandatory equipment on planes and are used to break through panels or other obstacles.

Regarding the suspect's profile, the Latvian press cites Israeli sources stating that the co-pilot is from Oman and was later brought to the United Arab Emirates. It also quotes the Wall Street Journal, which, citing sources close to the case, claims that the Omani authorities had banned him from flying due to concerns about his radical ideological views. The Emirati investigation is ongoing, aiming to establish the co-pilot's motivations and potential links to other individuals or organizations.

The Latvian texts do not provide their own investigation, do not mention any Latvian passengers, and do not develop the diplomatic consequences or questions about pilot recruitment. The framing remains that of an international security incident reported from Emirati, Israeli, and American sources.

Kuala Lumpur, October 4, 2026. The Malaysian press reports on the Flydubai FZ1073 flight incident through the Emirati judicial qualification. On Saturday, October 3, the Attorney General of the Emirates, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated through the state agency WAM that the co-pilot "had attempted to commit a terrorist act", that he had attacked the captain in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control of the aircraft.

The Vibes specifies that these statements are the first time the Emirati authorities have officially described the incident as an attempted attack. The investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances, motives, and potential links, as well as to examine physical and digital evidence. The Sun MY highlights that the investigators have not revealed the co-pilot's motive.

Regarding identity, the two titles remain cautious. According to a source cited by Reuters, the co-pilot is believed to be Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani; a second source confirms the name, but the Emirati authorities have not responded to the request for confirmation. A Saudi source confirmed his Omani nationality to the AFP. Oman has made no comment. Some media outlets also mention a flying ban in his country of origin due to his extremist views.

The account of the flight on Wednesday, September 30, is based on testimony: the injured Indian captain was able to open the cockpit door, which allowed passengers and crew to overpower the assailant and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Passengers describe the rush to the cockpit and the fight for control, as the plane lost approximately 17,000 feet in one minute according to Flightradar24. The captain is hailed as a hero; he was photographed on Saturday with the Emirati Vice Premier, Hamdan bin Mohammed.

Canberra, October 4, 2026. For the Australian press, the Flydubai FZ1073 flight incident becomes a national case on Sunday, October 4, when the federal police (AFP) confirm they are investigating the co-pilot's links to the country. According to the ABC, the investigation is being conducted by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which brings together the AFP, the Victoria police, and the ASIO. A spokesperson promised an update "at an appropriate time," as quoted by PerthNow.

The basic account comes from the Emirates. On Saturday, October 3, Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, quoted by the WAM agency, stated that the co-pilot "had attempted to commit a terrorist act": he allegedly attacked the commander in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age report that the aircraft, with 174 people on board, nearly crashed and that two off-duty pilots stabilized the Boeing 737 MAX before landing in Saudi Arabia. The ABC specifies a drop of nearly 4,267 meters in less than 30 seconds and a rerouting to Tabuk.

The identity of the co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani, has not been officially confirmed: SBS cites a Reuters source, then three people, including diplomats who spoke anonymously. The same media outlets indicate that Oman had banned him from flying due to extremist views before he was hired by the Emirati company; the ABC notes that it is unknown how closely he was vetted at the time.

São Paulo, October 4, 2026. The Brazilian press is reporting on the Flydubai affair based on news agencies and official Emirati statements. Folha de S.Paulo and G1 report that the United Arab Emirates stated on Saturday (3) that the co-pilot of flight FZ1073, which connected Dubai to Tel Aviv, attacked the commander with an emergency axe and attempted to take control. The two outlets emphasize that speculation had previously focused on the use of a knife.

G1 notes that the Attorney General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, spoke of a "terrorist" act attempt, which is the first public qualification of this type by an Emirati authority. The website describes the aircraft, which was carrying over 170 people, losing approximately 5,000 meters of altitude in just over 30 seconds above Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot; a Flydubai reserve pilot on board landed the plane in Tabuk, where the suspect was arrested.

Regarding the identity, Brazilian media are being cautious. According to Reuters, cited by G1 and Folha, the individual is reportedly Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, according to a source close to the case. Emirati authorities have not confirmed the name, and Oman has not commented. The investigation, which is examining motivations and potential accomplices, is analyzing physical and digital evidence.

Ottawa, October 4, 2026. The Canadian press, which largely relies on dispatches from the Associated Press and Reuters, initially treated the Flydubai FZ1073 flight incident as a security breach. The Attorney General of the Emirates, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated on Saturday, October 3, in a statement relayed by the state agency, that the co-pilot had "attempted to commit a terrorist act": according to him, he attacked the commander in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control of the aircraft on Wednesday, September 30.

CBC and the Globe and Mail note that these are the first comments from Emirati investigators to mention an attempted attack. Global News, via AP, mentions 182 people on board and an aircraft in rapid descent before passengers and others subdued the assailant. The co-pilot is believed to be Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani, identified by three people on condition of anonymity, including a Gulf diplomat and a Western diplomat. Neither the Emirates nor the airline has publicly confirmed this. A Gulf diplomat indicates that the investigation is seeking to determine whether he acted as a "lone wolf" or with extremist links.

The dispatches emphasize recruitment: according to an informed person, Oman had excluded him from its flights due to his extremist views before Flydubai, a company owned by the Dubai government, hired him. AP writes that these elements "raise questions" about the company's verification of candidates and how he was able to fly to Israel, which says it has agreements with foreign carriers to exclude pilots from countries without diplomatic relations, which is the case with Oman. AP also recalls that the incident occurs a week before the anniversary of October 7, 2023, and before elections where security is central.

Berlin, October 4, 2026. In the German press, the Flydubai FZ1073 flight incident is first and foremost a question of screening: how could a co-pilot already considered a risk have been allowed to pilot a sensitive route like Dubai-Tel Aviv? Tagesschau and Deutsche Welle (DW) report that the Emirati Attorney General stated on Saturday, October 3, that the co-pilot had planned a "Terrorakt": he allegedly attacked the captain with the emergency axe on Wednesday, September 30, in an attempt to take control of the aircraft.

DW, in its English version, recalls that 182 people were on board, including four pilots; two other pilots took control and landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. It quotes Anwar Gargash, Emirati Presidential Advisor, who speaks of a "terrorist operation" proving that the "fight against extremism continues".

However, the main focus of the coverage is on the man's background. Both media outlets rely on ABC News, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal: the co-pilot, an Omani, was allegedly suspended by Oman Air after extremist material was found during his training in 2024, but he kept an administrative position. According to the Wall Street Journal, Oman had banned him from flying due to fears of radical views. Tagesschau adds, citing the Saudi channel Al-Arabiya, a stay in Syria that had raised concerns.

DW emphasizes that the Wall Street Journal was unable to determine whether Oman had transmitted its concerns to Flydubai, and that investigators are trying to understand why he was able to fly for the company afterwards. According to ABC News, as reported by DW, the suspect, who has been transferred to the Emirates, is cooperating and has hinted that he wanted to crash the plane in Israel.

Paris, October 4, 2026. The French press first reported the statement of the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, reported on Saturday, October 3, by the official WAM agency: the co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073 "had begun to carry out a terrorist act", "attacked the captain in the cockpit with the emergency axe" and attempted "to take control of the plane". RFI, Le Monde, Sud Ouest, and 20 Minutes recall that the investigation is ongoing "to establish all the circumstances of the incident and its motivations".

The incident dates back to Wednesday, September 30. The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the aggressor; the aircraft, which had "steeply plummeted", landed in Saudi Arabia. The HuffPost specifies that the flight was carrying 174 people, including 166 Israelis. French headlines do not agree on the weapon: emergency axe according to the prosecutor, knife according to BFMTV and The HuffPost.

The core of the coverage focuses on the suspect's profile. Citing CNN, ABC, Al-Arabiya, and the Wall Street Journal, French media indicate that Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani whose mother is Syrian, would have been banned from flying by Oman due to extremist views, after a stay in Syria, and then would have applied unsuccessfully to Emirates before joining Flydubai. BFMTV, which analyzed a LinkedIn profile seen by CNN, also mentions a stint at Royal Air Maroc. Sud Ouest and RFI note that the prosecutor did not reveal the co-pilot's nationality, a Saudi source having spoken of an Omani to AFP.

Budapest, October 4, 2026. The Hungarian press is covering the Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv flight incident in two parts: the account of the attack and the copilot's background. Index, citing the BBC, reports that the United Arab Emirates prosecutor's office claims the copilot used the emergency axe stored in the cockpit to attack the commander and then attempted to take control. The plane, with over 170 people on board, reportedly lost around 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) before passengers intervened.

The commander, Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured, managed to open the cockpit door; passengers subdued the copilot, and two reserve pilots landed the plane in Saudi Arabia. According to the Indian embassy, cited by Index, his condition is stable and his recovery is progressing well.

Index raises the central question: how did the weapon end up in the copilot's hands? Initially, passengers spoke of a knife, but authorities mention the regulatory emergency axe. 444, citing Reuters, clarifies that the axe did not bypass rules: international safety standards require it to be stored in the cockpit as emergency equipment.

444 primarily highlights the perpetrator's profile. The Emirati prosecutor's office qualifies the facts as a terrorist attack, according to the MTI agency. The Omani copilot, identified by CNN as Hammam al-Hammami, had already been banned from flying by Omani authorities due to his extremist views, according to the Wall Street Journal; CNN reports that he was fired from Oman Air last year. Media outlets mention a long stay in Syria and contacts with radical Islamists. His LinkedIn profile posted videos of Israeli planes, holy sites in Mecca and Medina, verses about courage and combat, and an image of Ayman al-Zawahiri shortly after the incident; it is unclear whether these contents were posted by a third party or scheduled in advance, the American newspaper notes.

Jérusalem, October 4, 2026. In Israel, the FZ1073 flight affair is first seen as a screening failure, before being a foiled attack. The Emirati Attorney General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated on Saturday, October 3, according to the WAM agency, that the co-pilot had attempted a "terrorist act": he allegedly attacked the commander with a fire axe and tried to take control. The Jerusalem Post notes that these are the first Emirati comments to use this term; Presidential Advisor Anwar Gargash affirms the "zero tolerance" of the Emirates towards terrorism.

The press details the suspect's profile. According to CNN, relayed by Haaretz, a deleted LinkedIn profile in his name posted, about nine hours after the incident, images of El Al and Arkia planes and Al-Qaida figures. According to CBS, cited by the Jerusalem Post, Oman was monitoring him for visits to extremist sites and had removed him from a pilot position before he joined Flydubai, without checking with the Omani authorities. The Wall Street Journal, quoted by the same newspaper, mentions a drop of 17,400 feet in 92 seconds, at a 39-degree inclination.

The account of Commander Smit Machchhar to Benjamin Netanyahu, on Saturday evening according to Haaretz, occupies a central place: the co-pilot had said he wanted to pray, then hit him from behind. "I knew that if I didn't, I was going to die," the commander said. Netanyahu called him a "hero for Israel, India, and the whole world" and invited him, along with Narendra Modi, to light a flame for Independence Day. Donald Trump praised passenger Yaniv Hayoun on TikTok.

Rome, October 4, 2026. The Italian press first reports the statement of the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi. According to ANSA, which cites the official Wam agency, the investigation into the Flydubai FZ1073 Dubai-Tel Aviv flight of Wednesday, September 30, has established that the co-pilot was preparing a "terrorist act": he used the cockpit's emergency axe to attack the commander and attempt to "take control of the plane". The prosecutor adds that the investigations are ongoing.

The second part of the story is the identity of the man. ANSA, based on several American media outlets, names him Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani. La Repubblica, under the pen of Fabio Tonacci, specifies that he was born in the Emirates to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, and reports on videos of a "terrorist nature" found on his accounts: images of Al-Qaeda speakers and Israeli planes, published just after the hijacking attempt. ANSA details, according to CNN, two posts on a LinkedIn profile later deleted, with images taken in the cockpit of a Boeing 737 Max, devices from Israeli companies like El Al, a photo of Ayman al-Zawahiri, as well as images of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. The agency acknowledges, however, that it is unknown who published them and whether they had been programmed.

Abuja, October 4, 2026. Nigerian headlines are covering the Flydubai flight incident from the angle of the story and public recognition: the invitation extended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Indian Commander Smit Machchhar, rather than the investigation into the copilot's motivations.

Vanguard Nigeria and Daily Post Nigeria report that Netanyahu invited the hospitalized commander as a guest of honor to Israel on Saturday, October 3. He wants Machchhar and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, presented as one of Israel's key international partners, to light a flame during the national Independence Day ceremony next May, a role usually reserved for Israeli citizens. "You are a true hero of the brave people of India and Israel and a hero to the whole world," Netanyahu said in a video released by his office.

The two newspapers also relay the statement by the UAE's Attorney General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi. According to the official WAM agency, cited by Daily Post, the copilot "had attempted to commit a terrorist act" and "had attacked the commander in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control of the plane." The flight bound for Tel Aviv had been diverted on Wednesday, September 30. Daily Post adds that a passenger had earlier claimed that one pilot had attacked the other and tried to crash the plane.

Warsaw, October 4, 2026. Gazeta Prawna reports that the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates indicated on Saturday, October 3, that during the Flydubai FZ1073 flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv, the co-pilot allegedly attempted to attack the commander with an axe and commit a "terrorist attack". According to the newspaper, three people close to the case told the Associated Press that it was Omani national Hamama al-Hammami. According to the Wall Street Journal, cited by the newspaper, he was banned from flying in Oman due to fears of radicalization; it is unknown if Flydubai was aware of this when hiring him.

The newspaper describes the events: the attack occurred on Wednesday, September 30, on board an aircraft carrying 170 passengers and more than a dozen crew members, mostly Israelis according to media reports. After approximately two and a half hours of flight, the plane lost more than 5.2 kilometers of altitude before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Indian commander Smit Machchhar says he managed to trigger the door opening mechanism, which allowed passengers to subdue the assailant. Benjamin Netanyahu compared the incident to the September 11, 2001 attacks on CNN, specifying that Israeli services had no prior intelligence. The investigation into the circumstances, motive, and material and digital evidence is ongoing, according to the prosecution cited by the Emirati agency WAM.

Moscow, October 4, 2026. Russian media are covering the attack on board Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv largely by reporting on investigations by Western media outlets. Meduza, citing the Emirati agency WAM, reports that the UAE's Attorney General, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, has described the attack as an attempted "terrorist act": the second pilot allegedly injured the commander with the emergency axe stored in the cockpit and tried to take control. The same article notes that the prosecutor did not specify the suspect's motives.

The suspect's identity is the main focus of the coverage. Meduza, which relies on ABC News and CNN, names him as Hammam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani who was a copilot trainee at Oman Air in 2024, but was removed from flights after "extremist materials" were discovered, and then worked for Royal Air Maroc before joining Flydubai eight months ago. Vedomosti, which cites Bloomberg, mentions that Oman Air fired him due to his "attachment to radical views" and estimates that this revelation will raise questions about his hiring. RIA Novosti, citing the Telegraph, adds that he took a distance learning course in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University from 2020 to 2023, without any pilot training.

Singapour, 4 October 2026. Channel News Asia and the Straits Times report, citing Reuters dispatches, the statement by the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi: the co-pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, bound for Israel, "had attempted to commit a terrorist act". According to the statement, relayed by the state agency WAM on Saturday, 3 October, he attacked the commander in the cockpit with a safety axe and tried to take control. The Straits Times notes that these comments are the first from Emirati authorities to describe the incident as a terrorist attack.

The incident dates back to Wednesday, 30 September: passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, while over 170 people were on board. Israeli officials saw it as an apparent attempt to crash the plane. Citing a Reuters source, the Singaporean press names the co-pilot: Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national. Emirati authorities have not publicly identified him, and Oman has made no comment. The two publications note that the UAE is leading the investigation, which focuses on motives, potential links, and physical and digital evidence; the company is owned by the Dubai government.

The Straits Times also devotes an article, signed by Michael Levenson, to background checks: experts recall that pilots undergo medical examinations and a criminal record check, but these measures may not go far enough to detect a radicalized pilot or one hiding psychological problems.

London, 4 October 2026. The British press first recounts the scene. According to the BBC, Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, with over 170 people on board, plummeted around 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) approximately two and a half hours after takeoff, before passengers subdued the assailant and two reserve pilots landed the plane in Saudi Arabia. The Attorney General of the Emirates claims that the co-pilot struck the commander with a fire axe and intended to commit a "terrorist act".

The Daily Mail focuses on the account of survivors. Lital Hirschl-Shahar, 39, says she "saw death coming" and recounts that four Israelis ran to the front to help Commander Smit Machchhar, who was struck on the back of the head. The newspaper refers to a "jihadist" co-pilot and notes that Benjamin Netanyahu invited the commander to Israel as a guest of honor. The Independent mentions the "9/11 of Israel" that was avoided and writes that the passengers were "celebrated as heroes".

The second axis is the co-pilot's profile. Reuters, CNN, and the New York Times name him as Hamam al-Hammami, without official confirmation, the BBC notes. According to American media it cites, he was removed from Oman Air's pilot training due to his radical ideas; The Independent, citing Saudi state media, writes that he was banned from flying last year for the same reason. The BBC makes the weapon a key question for investigators, given the enhanced security on this route: the fire axe is normally located in the cockpit.

Washington, October 4, 2026. The US media initially treated the attack on Flydubai flight FZ1073 as a safety issue: how did a copilot end up in command? NBC News and CNBC reported the statement of Emirati Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi on Saturday, October 3: the copilot "began executing his plan during the flight, attacking the captain inside the flight deck using a crash axe." CNBC noted that this is the first time authorities have named the weapon.

The dominant angle is that of hiring control. According to the AP, as reported by HuffPost, the copilot, identified by NBC, ABC, and Fox as 29-year-old Omani Hamam al-Hammami, had been barred from flying by Oman after concerns over "extremist views" before being hired by the UAE-based airline. The AP wrote that it is unknown "to what extent he was vetted." A source cited by Fox claimed that Flydubai did not question Oman Air before hiring him. ABC noted that investigators are trying to determine if he acted as a "lone wolf" or with extremist ties.

The account of the event highlights courage. Fox reported that the plane dropped more than 14,000 feet in 30 seconds; the severely injured Captain Smit Machchhar opened the cockpit door, Israeli passengers subdued the assailant, and two reserve pilots, traveling in "deadheading," landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Donald Trump praised an Israeli passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, on Truth Social on Friday, October 2: "He's my kind of guy," according to The Hill.

Hanoï, October 4, 2026. VnExpress and Tuoi Tre News are treating the Flydubai FZ1073 flight as a survival story, based on foreign sources and onboard testimonies.

Tuoi Tre News, in English, is following the chronology of Reuters. The flight, with over 170 people on board, mostly Israelis, left Dubai at 03:05 GMT. At 05:21 GMT, in Saudi airspace, the plane suddenly turned and dove twice, losing over 16,000 feet in just over 30 seconds during the most marked drop. The transponder remained cut off for nearly half an hour, according to an Israeli official. The plane landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The text also notes "what is not clear": the exact sequence of events on board.

VnExpress is covering the judicial aspect. Emirati Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi stated on October 3 that the Omani co-pilot had attempted to carry out a "terrorist attack" by striking the commander with the emergency axe to take control. The newspaper recalls that Benjamin Netanyahu initially mentioned a switchblade. According to Saudi media, the co-pilot is Hamam al Hamami, 29, an Omani national. He was transferred from Saudi Arabia to the Emirates on October 2. Investigators are examining his motive and relationships, and the results will be published after verification.