The United Arab Emirates attorney general stated Saturday that the co-pilot on Flydubai flight FZ1073 attacked the captain with the aircraft's crash axe in an attempted terrorist act.

The incident occurred Wednesday on the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying 172 passengers and crew. The Boeing 737 plunged more than 14,000 feet in under a minute after the attack began in the cockpit, damaging part of the rudder.

UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigations established that the co-pilot, identified by multiple sources as Omani national Hammam al-Hammami, assaulted Captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to seize control of the plane. The crash axe is standard cockpit equipment for emergencies and did not require smuggling aboard.

Machchhar, an Indian national, sustained serious injuries but unlocked the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew, including off-duty pilots, to enter and overpower the attacker. A reserve pilot then landed the plane safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

The captain, praised for his actions, spoke from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and described fighting for his life before opening the door. He remains in stable condition.

Sources familiar with the matter said al-Hammami had been barred from flying by Oman over concerns about his adoption of extremist views. He was subsequently hired by Flydubai.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the attacker as suicidal and noted he had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination, adding that the co-pilot called out "Kill me, kill me" after being subdued.

The UAE investigation continues into motives and any wider connections. The episode has raised questions about aviation security screening and background checks for pilots from countries with known radicalization risks.