Was an axe used to attack Indian pilot Smit Machchhar during the alleged flydubai crash attempt? Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has raised that possibility, saying the captain was either stabbed or hit with an axe during the cockpit confrontation. However, the exact weapon used in the attack has not yet been confirmed.

The incident took place on Wednesday as the flydubai aircraft was approaching Israel. The flight was carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar, causing the aircraft to lose nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.

Did the attacker use an axe or a knife?

Netanyahu discussed the incident during an interview with Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity, which aired on Wednesday night. Describing the attack, he said, “On a flight from Dubai to Israel, as they were approaching Israel, there was an attack by one of the pilots against the other pilot.”

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“Apparently, he stabbed him, or he hit him with an axe. He was bleeding profusely,” Netanyahu said.

Flydubai attack: Was Smit Machchhar hit with an axe?
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Netanyahu raises axe theory in flydubai pilot attack | ANI

The statement leaves the question of the weapon open. While Netanyahu mentioned an axe as a possibility, passenger accounts referred to a knife.

Passengers aboard the flight reportedly saw a man holding a knife while one of the pilots was lying injured and covered in blood.

Could an axe have been available inside the cockpit?

A pilot operating in the region, but not working for flydubai, told Reuters that pilots could have access to metal knives used for meal service or a crash axe.

Crash axes are commonly kept in aircraft cockpits for emergencies. They can be used to break windows or open panels when access is needed during situations such as a fire.

Flydubai flight to Israel: Cockpit fight sparks scare
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Flydubai cockpit attack leaves weapon mystery unresolved | X(@Flydubai)

It therefore remains unclear whether the alleged attacker used a knife, a crash axe or another object. No definitive public confirmation of the weapon has been provided in the information available so far.

What happened after the cockpit assault?

The alleged attack triggered a struggle inside the aircraft as the plane rapidly lost altitude. Passengers and crew members entered the cockpit and overpowered the co-pilot.

Two other flydubai pilots who were travelling on the same flight then took control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, according to Israeli officials.

Machchhar, who was injured during the confrontation, was taken to hospital after the aircraft landed. Netanyahu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump later praised the Indian pilot as a “hero”.

Netanyahu said that the suspected co-pilot was arrested and described him as a possible Omani national. Authorities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have also confirmed that investigations are underway.

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“We’ll get to the root of ⁠this attacker, whether he had accomplices,” Netanyahu said, while adding that it was “too early to say” when asked about possible Iranian involvement.

For now, the central question surrounding the flydubai cockpit assault remains unanswered: was Machchhar attacked with a knife or an axe? The investigation is expected to establish what weapon was actually used.