New reports reveal that the FlyDubai co-pilot who allegedly attempted to hijack an Israel-bound flight with a cockpit axe had previously been grounded in Oman due to suspected extremist views.
According to the Daily Mail, 29-year-old Omani national Hamam Al Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar during Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Carrying 182 passengers, the aircraft experienced a terrifying 14,000-foot plunge in just 29 seconds before passengers and crew successfully subdued Al Hammami.
The flight subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Passenger Hayoun stated that Al Hammami placed his knees on the controls to interfere with the flight instruments.
Hayoun grabbed the co-pilot by the throat, and at least three other Israeli passengers rushed in to help restrain and tie him up.
Noticing the aircraft pointing downward, Hayoun pulled the controls back—a maneuver he recalled from watching Air Crash Investigation—before an off-duty pilot took over seconds later.
Official Investigations and Fallout
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi stated that Al Hammami attempted to carry out a “terrorist act,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination.”
Reports indicate that Al Hammami had previously been removed from flying duties at Oman Air after allegedly being found with extremist material.
Authorities are now urgently investigating how he managed to secure employment with FlyDubai and whether he acted alone.
