- Omani co-pilot used cockpit crash axe in Flydubai attack.
- Indian national Smit Machchhar seriously injured during incident.
- Flight made emergency landing in Saudi Arabia; co-pilot arrested.
A day after an alleged terror attack aboard a mid-air Flydubai flight to Israel raised eyebrows about how the Omani national co-pilot was able to access a weapon inside the cockpit which left the Indian national, Smit Machchhar seriously injured and caused the plane to descend from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet, and forced it to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabianew details have emerged.
According to a report by CBS News, it has been revealed that the alleged co-pilot did not carry a knife or any external weapon into the cockpit. Instead, he might have used a "crash axe," or a fire axe that is kept inside the aircraft's cockpit.
This has also been confirmed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who mentioned that a crash axe was used in the alleged attack.
The Flydubai jet carrying around 174 Israeli passengers was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after transmitting emergency signals, including a code associated with a possible hijacking, shortly after departing Dubai for Tel Aviv. Passengers reportedly helped the crew restrain an attacker, The Times of Israel reported.
Why an axe is kept in the cockpit?
According to international aviation regulations, a crash axe is installed in the aircraft at the factory, and it is mandatory in every commercial airliner. They have been installed in planes, in one form or another, for decades as emergency equipment that can be used in the aftermath of a crash.
Axes used to be stored in the main cabins but were shifted to cockpits after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US 25 years ago. Now, it is kept within easy reach of the pilots in cockpits in case of any emergency.
Meanwhile, the identity of the Omani co-pilot remain unknown and has not been disclosed by Israel, but PM Netanyahu has said the co-pilot has been arrested.
Flydubai has stated that its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation takes place.
Israeli PM Netanyahu has praised Indian-origin Captain Machchhar and the passengers who entered the cockpit, saying they "managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster".