The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government is seeking the death penalty for a co-pilot who attacked the pilot of a Flydubai flight and tried to bring down the plane. Authorities are describing the incident as a serious act of terrorism. Prosecutors are arguing that the accused co-pilot, Hamam Al-Hammami, should be given the harshest sentence.

The horrific incident took place on September 30th of last month on board Flydubai flight FZ 1073, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Co-pilot Hamam, who was in the cockpit, grabbed the plane's crash axe and attacked the Indian captain, Smith Machhar. He then tried to take control of the plane and bring it down, causing the plane to plummet. Despite being seriously injured, the captain cleverly opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to rush inside and arrest the co-pilot. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

UAE authorities are investigating the incident. Al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national who was detained in Saudi Arabia, was transferred to the UAE. During interrogation, Al-Hammami reportedly admitted that he had intended to bring down the plane and that he was not afraid of death. Reports indicate that he was dismissed from his previous job at Oman Airlines because of his extremist ideology.

Israeli authorities are also currently assisting the UAE in the investigation of the case. UAE prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, the harshest punishment, for the terrorist attack that threatened the safety of airline passengers.