A FlyDubai co-pilot, identified in reports as Hammam al-Hammami, is accused of stabbing the captain on the flight deck and attempting to hijack an aircraft. Multiple outlets report that the attack led to sudden flight disturbances, with the plane entering a sharp dive, before the co-pilot is overpowered.
The Independent and Metro say the incident is being treated as a terror-related attack, with The Independent specifically describing the use of a crash axe. Mint adds that investigators are examining the alleged perpetrator’s motive and whether there are extremist links. Metro also reports that the co-pilot had previously been flagged for holding radical views.
All three outlets state that al-Hammami studied at a university in the United Kingdom. However, they provide limited detail about the institution or the findings of any security or law-enforcement investigations beyond the accusation and ongoing inquiry.
