The co-pilot of the FlyDubai aircraft who allegedly attacked the plane’s captain and tried to crash a flight sure for Israel on Wednesday is an Omani nationwide who was beforehand suspended from flying by Oman Air after being recognized as a safety danger, in keeping with senior intelligence and legislation enforcement officers.
A number of sources aware of the investigation recognized the suspected attacker as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami.
The officers advised ABC Information that Al Hammami, whereas working as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air in 2024, was discovered to be in possession of extremist supplies. The suspect was allowed to proceed working for the airline in an administrative position, the sources mentioned.
United Arab Emirates Legal professional Normal Hamad Saif Al Shamsi on Saturday mentioned the plane’s co-pilot had tried to hold out a terrorist act and that he started executing his plan through the flight by assaulting the pilot contained in the cockpit utilizing a crash axe and tried to grab management of the plane’s controls, in keeping with WAM state information company.
That is the primary affirmation by UAE authorities that the co-pilot had attacked the captain and recognized the weapon used as a crash axe. Earlier UAE statements had described the incident as a safety incident and mentioned an investigation was underway to find out whether or not it concerned terrorist exercise or prior planning
The legal professional basic harassed that investigations are nonetheless ongoing to ascertain all of the circumstances and motives surrounding the incident, in addition to any associated hyperlinks. He added that technical examinations and the evaluation of bodily and digital proof are additionally being accomplished, with the ultimate findings to be introduced as soon as the mandatory procedures have been concluded.
Officers investigating the incident are nonetheless trying to determine how the suspected attacker was subsequently permitted to fly for FlyDubai and the way he ended up as the primary officer within the cockpit of a aircraft headed for Israel, the sources mentioned.
Al Hammami — who was transferred Thursday from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates — is alleged to be “cooperating” with authorities investigating the incident and has indicated that his intent was to crash the plane in Israel, in keeping with sources briefed on the investigation.
Representatives of FlyDubai, Oman Air and the Omani Embassy didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from ABC Information.
FlyDubai issued an announcement earlier Friday, attributed to its chief govt officer, saying that, on the request of the authorities, FlyDubai had “quickly suspended operations to Tel Aviv till additional discover,” and saying “a full official investigation, led by the related authorities and absolutely supported by flydubai, is underway.”
A catastrophe was averted when the flight’s captain, Smit Machchhar, fought again and numerous passengers subdued and restrained the attacker, who had despatched the aircraft right into a rapid dive.
A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane prepares for touchdown at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, Sept. 30, 2026.
Jack Guez/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
One of many passengers, Israeli plumber Yaniv Hayoun, mentioned he pulled again on the controls to regular the aircraft till a 3rd pilot, who was touring within the passenger cabin, took over. The flight finally landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
One of many passengers who ran to the entrance of the aircraft, Dr. Shota Musaev, advised ABC Information in an interview this week that the attacker — who was bloodied and restrained on the ground outdoors the cockpit — advised him he was from Oman. Musaev mentioned that at one level the suspect requested Musaev to kill him.
“He mentioned, ‘Kill me please, kill me please,'” Musaev mentioned.
Israeli officers are anticipated to be on the bottom and concerned within the questioning of Al Hammami, sources mentioned.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday mentioned that the suspected attacker, who he did not title, had undergone “Islamist radicalization.”
“He got here to crash the aircraft with all passengers on board,” Netanyahu mentioned in a video launched by his workplace. “We’re investigating whether or not he was despatched, and whoever despatched him can pay a really heavy worth.”
Netanyahu additionally once more heaped reward on Hayoun and the opposite heroic passengers for stopping a “tragedy like 9/11.”
A threadbare web biography web page believed to belong to the suspect indicated that he had studied aviation administration at a British college and engineering at an Australian college.
A supply on the Buckinghamshire New College confirmed that Al Hammami accomplished a three-year distance-learning course and graduated with a level in aviation administration in 2023. The supply harassed that Al Hammami didn’t take any pilot coaching on the faculty.
A consultant for the varsity in Australia declined to remark and referred an inquiry from ABC Information to the Australian federal police.
This story has been up to date.
