DUBAI, October 14, 2026 — Two Maldivian pilots employed by flydubai have been detained in the United Arab Emirates as investigators widen the probe into the suspected attempt to hijack and crash a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on September 30, according to Maldivian media reports.
The two men were taken into custody on October 3, and their families were subsequently informed of the detentions by the Maldivian Embassy in the UAE, the Maldivian news outlet Adhadhu reported. Maldivian officials have declined to comment publicly on the case, and UAE authorities have not publicly detailed the allegations against the two pilots or disclosed any evidence linking them to the suspected plot.
The detentions mark the first expansion of the investigation beyond Hammam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit of Flight FZ1073 with a crash axe in an alleged bid to seize control of the aircraft and crash it into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. Passengers and crew subdued the attacker after the captain managed to keep the cockpit door unlocked, and the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Who Are the Detained Pilots?
According to the Malé-based newspaper Mihaaru, cited by news agencies, the two pilots are believed to have interacted with al-Hammami at work and lived in the same building as the Omani national. The reports have not established whether those interactions extended beyond professional or residential proximity.
The two men are reportedly among six Maldivian nationals employed as pilots by flydubai and were the airline’s most recent recruits from the Maldives, according to local media reports. Some reports have claimed the pair previously travelled to Israel, though the significance of those trips, if any, remains unclear.
It is important to note that their detention does not, by itself, establish their involvement in the incident, and UAE officials have not clarified the specific suspicions that led to their detention.
How the Probe Has Expanded
The widening of the investigation comes as the UAE Attorney General leads a multinational probe examining motive, recruitment and whether al-Hammami had links to other individuals or groups. India’s National Investigation Agency has also opened a criminal case under the Anti-Hijacking Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, sources said.
When arrested in Saudi Arabia, al-Hammami told investigators that he acted entirely alone, according to reports. His social media accounts showed images of Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and other al-Qaeda figures, along with footage of Israeli military aircraft, reports said. Whether he is actually a “lone wolf” or received support from others remains unconfirmed.
The detentions follow flydubai’s announcement days earlier that it had dismissed “several employees” in connection with its internal investigation into the incident.
What Happens Next
As of the latest reports, neither the Maldivian President’s Office nor the Maldivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had publicly announced the detentions, and the two pilots have not been publicly charged. Investigators’ next steps — whether to publish findings or file formal charges — will determine the legal and operational fallout for flydubai and the individuals involved, analysts say.
The case has raised urgent questions about airline vetting, cross-border information sharing and cockpit access rules, aviation experts said. Israel suspended all flydubai services following the September 30 incident and has declined the airline’s request to resume flights.
