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Flydubai: Countries probe co-pilot after attack

By Sohail Khan 4 October 2026, 5:22 pm

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Business News›News›International›World News›Flydubai incident: Multiple countries probe co-pilot’s background after cockpit attack: Reports

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Flydubai incident: Multiple countries probe co-pilot’s background after cockpit attack: Reports
Synopsis

Authorities are investigating Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami for an attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight. The incident occurred during flight FZ1073, resulting in severe injuries to Captain Smit Machchhar. Investigators from Australia and Israel are examining al-Hammami's ties and motives. He was previously banned from flying in Oman due to radical ideological concerns.

Flydubai flight incident probe — Hamam al-Hammami, the accused co-pilot in the flydubai incident.

Authorities in Australia and Israel are investigating the Omani co-pilot's connections and his placement on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight, while a UAE-led probe actively examines his motives and background, according to media reports.

The Australian Federal Police told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Sunday that a counterterrorism task force is looking into the man's ties to Australia. The investigation is being handled by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, a joint effort involving the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, as confirmed to both the ABC and the BBC.

Sources familiar with the matter revealed to Australian news outlets that the co-pilot received a student visa in 2014 and lived in Australia while studying from 2015 to 2017. The ABC reported that his visa was canceled in 2019, clarifying that the revocation was due to non-enrollment in an educational course rather than character concerns.

Lead investigators in the UAE confirmed on Saturday that the co-pilot attempted to carry out a "terrorist act". UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi stated that the co-pilot wielded a crash axe against the captain inside the flight deck in an effort to seize control of the plane, according to state news agency WAM. He noted that authorities are continuing their inquiries to uncover the underlying motives, circumstances, and external connections behind the event.

Also read: Before Flydubai attack, 12 Omani pilots flew to Israel despite ban. How did it happen?

Although official confirmation has not been released, several media outlets identified the individual as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. According to The Wall Street Journal, al-Hammami was previously banned from flying in Oman following concerns surrounding his radical ideological beliefs. CNN, citing an Israeli official and additional sources, reported that he had been removed from flight training over similar radicalization concerns before being reassigned to a ground role at Oman's flag carrier.

Reports indicate al-Hammami had been employed by the Dubai-based airline for roughly eight months, though questions remain regarding the extent of the background vetting conducted prior to his hiring. Moroccan national carrier Royal Air Maroc informed the AP news agency that al-Hammami participated in a three-month theoretical training program with the airline in 2025 as part of a pre-employment evaluation, but was ultimately not hired. Additionally, Buckinghamshire New University in the UK confirmed to the BBC that al-Hammami completed a three-year distance-learning program in aviation management, graduating in 2023, while noting that no flight instruction was provided to him at the institution.

An Israeli official told CNN that a coalition of Israeli authorities, including the Shin Bet, Mossad, the military, and the Transportation Ministry, is scrutinizing how the co-pilot was assigned to the crew of the Tel Aviv route.

Also read: Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking captain Smit Machchhar identified as Hamam al-Hammami

The incident occurred Wednesday aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, where al-Hammami assaulted Indian Captain Smit Machchhar using a crash axe, inflicting severe injuries. The underlying motive remains under investigation.

Carrying 174 passengers, the aircraft issued distress signals as it plunged over 17,000 feet from its cruising altitude of 34,000 feet. The BBC reported that the injured captain was lying on the flight deck floor when he noticed the sudden altitude loss and decided to make "one last push" to unbolt the cockpit door.

Opening the door allowed passengers to intervene and subdue the attacker. Two off-duty reserve pilots subsequently took command and brought the aircraft to a safe landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where local authorities took al-Hammami into custody. Captain Machchhar was initially treated at a local medical facility before being medevaced to Abu Dhabi, where his condition has since stabilized.

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Flydubai incidentterrorist act attemptUAE investigationaviation managementOmani nationalAustralian Federal Policeairplane cockpit attackemergency landing

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