// BBC WORLD NEWS — MONDO
Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says
The Indian government has praised captain Smit Machchhar for his "immense courage" during the attack
The co-pilot of the Flydubai plane travelling to Israel attacked the pilot with a crash axe in an attempt to take control of the aircraft, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general has said.
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying more than 170 people plunged more than 17,000ft (5,200m) two and a half hours into its journey.
Capt Smit Machchhar said he was lying on the cockpit floor injured when he realised the plane was sinking and he had to act, explaining: "I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside."
Passengers aboard the aircraft were then able to enter the cockpit and overpower the attacker, while on-duty crew travelling on the flight landed the plan safely.
A crash axe is usually kept in the cockpit in case of emergencies.
The UAE attorney general told state media that investigations were ongoing to determine the full circumstances and motives of the incident.
The co-pilot who launched the attack was an Omani national, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu told Fox News on Thursday that, after being subdued, the attacker called out to the crew, "Kill me, kill me!"
He added: "So, it's clear that he was suicidal… It looks very likely that he was going to down the plane."