The co-pilot of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv attacked the captain with an ax and the passenger subdued him before landing safely in Saudi Arabia

The co-pilot who tried to seize control of a Flydubai jet bound for Israel attacked the captain with an emergency axe, the attorney general of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said.

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying more than 170 people, plummeted 17,000 feet (5,200 meters) about two and a half hours after takeoff. Passengers successfully subdued the attackers and regained control of the plane.

Captain Mahchar said he fell to the ground injured and realized the plane was sinking and he had to take action. "I told myself I would try one last time and open the door from the inside," he explained. This allowed passengers to enter the cockpit.

Two backup pilots then landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.

An emergency ax is usually kept in the cockpit for use in emergencies.

Given the sensitivity and tight security of this route, the weapons used by the attackers have been a key concern for investigators. Passengers on board initially suggested the murder weapon might have been a knife.

The UAE Attorney General told state media that the investigation was still ongoing to determine the full circumstances and motives of the incident.

According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the co-pilot who carried out the attack was an Omani citizen.

Several media outlets, including Reuters, CNN and The New York Times, said his name was Hamam al-Hammami, but this has not been officially confirmed.

U.S. media reported that Hammami was disqualified from flight training when he previously worked for another airline, Oman Air, because his radical views raised concerns and was assigned to other positions at Oman's national airline.

Buckinghamshire New University in the United Kingdom said he completed the school's three-year distance learning course and obtained an aviation management degree in 2023. The school added that he did not receive any pilot training at the school.

Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News that after the attacker was subdued on the plane, he shouted to the crew: "Kill me, kill me!"

The Israeli prime minister continued: "So, it was clear that he was suicidal... and it seemed most likely that he wanted to crash the plane."

He also said the attacker "had been indoctrinated into radical Islamism."

UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said an investigation into the incident revealed that the co-pilot attempted to commit a "terrorist act," the UAE state news agency reported.

He also said investigators were working to determine the circumstances of the incident, the motive and any relevant connections.

Mahchar, who was stabbed in the attack, was taken to a nearby hospital and then airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where he is reportedly in stable condition.

The Indian embassy in the United Arab Emirates said on Thursday that the pilot from India was "in good health and recovering smoothly".

"I believe I will recover and be healthy again," Mahchar said.

The plane began its steep descent about two and a half hours after taking off from Dubai International Airport.

The plane first transmitted transponder code 7700, indicating a "general emergency", and then switched to code 7500, a code reporting "unlawful interference" or hijacking.

Speaking to the BBC, one passenger described the moment he realized something was wrong.

Almog Itali said: "The plane suddenly fell down like a roller coaster, accompanied by strong gravitational acceleration. It fell rapidly for 20 to 30 seconds, then stabilized, and then started falling again."

He said people then started rushing toward the cockpit.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Thursday that an Israeli woman on board, Tali Manes, first raised the alarm when she heard a commotion in the cockpit.

After Captain Mahchar opened the cockpit door despite his injuries, her husband Zvika and three other men - Yaniv Hayun, Dr Shota Musayev and Asaf Rajuan - entered the cockpit.

Hayun said in a video released by the Prime Minister's Office that the attackers were "trying to destroy the instruments and disable the aircraft."

Ha Yun then described how he locked his arms around the attacker's neck and dragged him out of the cockpit, while other passengers stepped forward to help hold him down.

He also said he "pulled" the plane's controls. "The plane started to level off and became a little more stable, and then [the other] pilot told me that he would take over the controls," he said.