Flydubai attack: How Omani co-pilot got weapon inside cockpit
The latest reports by CBS News say the attacker didn't access any external weapon, but something from within the cockpit.
The latest reports by CBS News say the attacker didn't access any external weapon, but something from within the cockpit.
The latest reports by CBS News say the attacker didn't access any external weapon, but something from within the cockpit.
The Dubai International Airport, from which the flydubai Boeing 737-8 MAX FZ 1073 took off for Tel Aviv on September 30, is known for its rigorous screening for passengers and airline crew. Still, how did the Omani pilot who allegedly attacked his Indian co-pilot, Smit Machchar, smuggle in a weapon with which he seriously injured him?
The question has been brewing in the minds of all who are familiar with the stringent checks at the airport. In the earlier reports, it was mentioned that the Omani pilot used a knife that was part of the airline cutlery for the attack. However, the latest reports by CBS News say the attacker didn't access any external weapon, but something from within the cockpit - a crash axe, also known as a fire axe. Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu also said a crash axe was the weapon used by the pilot.
What is a crash axe?
A crash axe is installed in the cockpit of every commercial airline as emergency equipment. It can be used to escape in case of a crash or similar emergencies. Interestingly, before the 9/11 attacks, it was kept in the main cabin, and after the incident, it was shifted to the pilots' cockpit. It is mandatory, lightweight equipment and is quite sharp, as it is intended as a heavy-duty breaching tool. It is kept behind the bulletproof cockpit door so that passengers or hijackers don't access it.
A weapon of last resort
The crash axe is only supposed to be used during extreme emergencies, and therefore, it is treated as a 'weapon of last resort' in the airline protocols. In 2018, a senior commander of Air India was suspended for aggressive behaviour using the crash axe on the trainee pilots. As per reports, he removed the axe from its mount and placed it on the flight controls, and threatened the trainees of striking them if they made a mistake.
In the infamous 2015 Germanwings Flight, in which a pilot locked the captain out of the cockpit to descend the plane into the French Alps, there was a cockpit voice recorder recording the captain using the axe to smash the door from the passenger cabin side.