The probe into the hijacking attempt on Wednesday’s flydubai Flight 1073 has revealed that the Omani copilot attacked the Indian captain with the cockpit’s emergency axe in a “terrorist act,” United Arab Emirates Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi says, according to state news agency WAM.
Airlines are generally required to carry crash axes in the cockpit for use in an emergency to break open a window to escape or break open a panel to access a fire.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, the motives and any related connections, as well as to examine physical and digital evidence, Al Shamsi says.
US President Donald Trump’s administration is deliberating on how to approach the Iran war, now in its eighth month, as US midterm elections approach in November.
A Eurocopter AS-332 Super Puma helicopter delivers supplies on the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which is supporting US military operations in the war with Iran, during a replenishment-at-sea with fleet replenishment oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser August 16, 2026.(photo credit: US NAVY/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)ByARIELLA ROITMANThe US military is planning a potential increase of thousands of naval forces in the Middle East in the coming weeks, the Washington Post reported on Friday.
The Pentagon intends to move up three aircraft carriers and escort ships into the region to create flexibility in overseeing the war, according to the report.
Administration deliberates next move on Iran
The planning comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration deliberates on how to approach the Iran war, which has now entered its eighth month, causing dissatisfaction among the American public and roiling the global economy, according to the WP.
Additional forces deployed to the region will include 20,000 troops, up to 150 fighter jets, and numerous destroyers to launch and fend off missile attacks, it added.
The USS George Washington, last deployed to the Arabian Sea, the USS George H.W. Bush, currently in the Indian Ocean, and the USS Theodore Roosevelt are among the carriers involved in the discussions, the WP said, citing an earlier report by the Wall Street Journal.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt was deployed recently to San Diego and must make its way across the Pacific Ocean, it added.
The plans come as Trumpconsiders renewing strikes on Iran following November’s midterm elections, the WP said, citing US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
In an interview published by Time magazine on Thursday, the US President said that it’s “possible” he will ramp up bombing after the midterms, according to the WP’s report.
50,000 troops are currently deployed
Around 50,000 US troops are currently deployed in the Middle East, the WP cited US officials as saying.
The Navy, according to the report, recently deployed the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, a three-ship task force of Marines and sailors from California.
The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, a similar unit, has already been in the Middle East for months and includes more than 4,000 sailors and Marines, the report added, citing officials.
If Trump decides against expanding the conflict with Iran, the recently deployed vessels would likely replace those that have been there for months, the WP cited officials as saying.
The war, according to the report, has challenged the Pentagon as troop morale declines and ships require additional maintenance.
The war with Iran has cost the US billions of dollars, it added, left more than 800 troops wounded, and killed at least 19 others.
Stunning flight data and post-landing photographs reveal the terrifying structural toll of a steep dive triggered by a violent mid-air struggle. Photographs circulating online after touchdown show extensive structural damage to the vertical stabilizer, sparking urgent questions on how close the airliner was to catastrophe.
A graph showing the rapid descent alongside the damaged tail of the Flydubai aircraft | Photo: Social media
A violent cockpit assault aboard a flydubai low cost airline service from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning transformed a standard commercial journey into a critical emergency. A struggle for the flight deck left the captain stabbed and the aircraft plunging rapidly before crew and passengers subdued the attacker, ultimately forcing an unscheduled landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Photographs circulating online after touchdown show extensive structural damage to the vertical stabilizer, sparking urgent questions across the aviation world regarding how close the aircraft came to mid-air disintegration.
A graph showing the rapid descent alongside the damaged tail of the Flydubai aircraft
According to telemetry from Flightradar24 (global flight tracking service), the twin-engine jet departed Dubai at 06:05, establishing a standard cruising altitude of 34,000 feet (10,363 meters). Descent initiated at 08:21, followed by an ominous 18-second telemetry blackout preceding a staggering loss of 14,300 feet (4,359 meters) over a span of just 33 seconds. During this violent plunge, ground speed surged to 598 knots (688 mph / 1,107 km/h). The aircraft subsequently clawed its way back up to 21,700 feet (6,614 meters) before leveling off near 15,000 feet (4,572 meters), maintaining that altitude straight into its descent path toward Tabuk (city in northwestern Saudi Arabia).
Background: The flight path of the FlyDubai flight. Inset 1: A FlyDubai aircraft takes off from Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. Inset 2: A passenger who was on the diverted flight to Tel Aviv (AP)
Dan Bracha, a veteran F-16 (American multirole fighter jet) pilot, noted that the physical altercation in the cockpit generated an unprecedented aggressive maneuver, registering momentary descent spikes approaching 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) per minute. This extreme dive vastly exceeded certified operational parameters, inflicting severe structural strain on the empennage. Despite the grave compromise to the aircraft, an off-duty crew member exhibited exceptional airmanship to guide the crippled machine onto the tarmac without further injury.
The mechanics of such rapid-descent structural failure are stark. Speaking on condition of anonymity, an aviator designated as pilot C explained that every dynamic vehicle operates under strict engineering limitations. Drawing an analogy to motorcycle riding, the aviator pointed out that while normal speeds remain manageable, forcing a machine to an excessive 400 km/h (248.5 mph) introduces violent vibrations and chassis stress capable of tearing wheels and components apart. Naturally, the same principle applies with amplified severity to a massive commercial airliner plunging at rates far beyond its design threshold, where compounding aerodynamic loads fracture the outer skin.
The graph showing the altitude and speed of the Flydubai flight that was attacked by the co-pilot on Sept. 30, 2026 (Flightradar24)
A second anonymous aviator, designated as pilot R, detailed the destructive airflow dynamics hammering the tail section during such extreme events. Under standard flight conditions, an aircraft’s arrow-like aerodynamics ensure smooth airflow across the fuselage and tail assembly. However, during a frantic cockpit struggle and steep descent executed at blistering speeds, any heavy foot pressure applied to the rudder pedals forces the fuselage out of alignment with the relative wind. Instead of flowing cleanly past the structure, high-velocity air slams laterally into the tail with staggering impact, mirroring the force of a massive pneumatic hammer.
The convergence of excessive dive speeds, uncoordinated flight profiles, and potential rudder deflection created critical structural stress that nearly proved fatal. Had the aerodynamic forces acting upon the tail been even marginally higher, the entire vertical stabilizer could have sheared away mid-flight, stripping the aircraft of directional control and dooming it to a catastrophic crash. The ultimate saving grace, the pilot concluded, lies in the robust engineering of modern passenger aircraft designed to absorb extreme physical shocks without structural collapse, providing the narrow margin needed to secure control and touch down safely on Saudi soil.
