Israel declines flydubai request to resume Tel Aviv flights after cockpit attack

While Emirati authorities and the airline have not publicly identified the co-pilot, Israeli officials have previously said he is an ​Omani national. Oman has not commented on the incident.

Flydubai has sought Israel’s approval to resume Tel Aviv flights after the September 30 cockpit attack on Indian captain Smit Machchhar. Israel has declined the request amid security concerns and a review of foreign crew screening.

Eytan Ben-David, the national security adviser to Benjamin Netanyahu and a former aviation security chief, said the flydubai pilot had been planning last week’s attack for months.

Eytan Ben-David, the national security adviser to Benjamin Netanyahu and a former aviation security chief, said the flydubai pilot had been planning last week’s attack for months.

Eytan Ben-David, the national security adviser to Benjamin Netanyahu and a former aviation security chief, said the flydubai pilot had been planning last week’s attack for months.

Omani national Hamam Al Hammami, 29, severely wounded captain Smit Machchhar using the onboard crash axe as he tried to take control of the Flydubai plane on its way to Tel Aviv last week.

By Gianluca Lo NostroOct 6 (Reuters) - A flydubai co-pilot stabbed his captain with an emergency "crash axe" in what UAE prosecutors have called a terrorist attack, with the plane plunging 16,000 feet in 30 seconds before it was brought under control by passengers and a stand-by crew.It landed safely thanks to some heroics from the injured captain, with all on board surviving. The co-pilot is being questioned, with Israeli officials saying that he had planned the attack even before joining the airline.

The pilot who tried to bring down an Israel-bound flight had been planning a 9/11-style attack, a Middle Eastern official has told NBC News.

The Omani co-pilot who allegedly tried to crash an Israel-bound flydubai flight and attacked his Indian co-pilot told investigators that he acted to seek “revenge for Gaza”, according to reports.Hamam al-Hammami, 29, told interrogators that he was acting “in revenge for Gaza” and that he “wanted to die as a martyr", the Times of Israel reported, citing Channel 12 news.Mossad probing foreign visitsA Mossad official told Israeli ministers on Sunday that al-Hammami had briefly travelled to countries hostile to Israel in recent years, Channel 12 reported, citing two sources.Suspect admits: Attempted hijacking was ‘revenge for Gaza’: Hamam al-Hammami, suspected of attempting to crash the Flydubai plane told investigators that he wanted to “die as a shahid." dlvr.​it/TVnY4h ArutzSheva https://t.co/kLjC8kvcLI— Jewish Community (@JComm_NewsFeeds) October 5, 2026“We are checking whether, during those visits, an individual or an organization of any kind activated or recruited him,” a Mossad representative said, according to the report.Agents from Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, are also participating in al-Hammami’s interrogation and travelled to the United Arab Emirates to take part in his questioning, the Times of Israel reported.Omani Co-Pilot Hammam al-Hammami's Masterplan: 9/11 Style Plot To Crash Flydubai Flight Into Tel Aviv Building, Earlier Foiled Bid & Reason To Choose Airline - Full DETAILSAustralian university studies under scrutinyNew details have also emerged about al-Hammami’s time in Australia. He studied engineering at RMIT University in Melbourne but did not complete the qualification, the university said in a statement on Monday.Investigators are examining whether his years in Australia played any role in his alleged radicalisation.RMIT said it was “aware of media reporting of a former student alleged to be involved in the FlyDubai flight incident,” adding that it was unable to comment further while investigations continued.The university, one of Australia’s oldest tertiary institutions, has around 99,000 students.Australian authorities are examining al-Hammami’s links to the country. Investigators are also probing his alleged visits to radical mosques and extremist websites while he was in Australia, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter.Also Watch:Six months of flight training in New ZealandAl-Hammami also spent six months in New Zealand as part of his flight training, police said on Tuesday. He stayed in the country from November 2018 to May 2019 on a six-month student visa."Immigration records show he arrived in New Zealand on 30 November 2018 and departed 23 May 2019," New Zealand Assistant Commissioner Michael Johnson said in an emailed statement to news agency Reuters."Police can confirm the co-pilot was in New Zealand to complete a portion of his flight training for a UK-based company, no longer operating in New Zealand," he added.New Zealand police said they were reviewing records and conducting further inquiries into al-Hammami’s time in the country.

Had Flight 1073 continued toward Israel and reached a predetermined distance, Israeli fighter jets would have entered Jordanian airspace to investigate the aircraft, the two sources told CBS News.

The protocol calls for a rogue flight approaching Israel to be shot out of the sky, but only the prime minister could have made that decision, sources said.

Co-pilot told interrogators he sought flydubai job after searching for airlines flying to Tel Aviv Source says co-pilot also intended to hijack and crash earlier Tel Aviv flight this year Reserve flydubai pilot lands plane in Saudi Arabia after passengers and crew subdue co-pilot JERUSALEM — The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in a suspected attempt […] The post Co-pilot planned flydubai attack before joining airline, two Israeli officials say appeared first on Interaksyon.

In the minutes after chaos took over FlyDubai flight 1073, Israel was prepared for fighter jets to shoot it down, according to Israeli sources. CBS News has also learned that co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, a citizen of Oman, had planned to crash the plane into Israel's main airport. Matt Gutman reports.

Israeli sources say they were prepared to shoot down last week's FlyDubai flight where a co-pilot allegedly attacked the flight's captain, even though there were more than 150 Israeli passengers on board. CBS News' Matt Gutman reports.

A middle east official tells NBC News that the co-pilot who stabbed the flight’s captain had planned to fly the plane into Tel Aviv’s airport before heroic passengers intervened. NBC News’ Keir Simmons reports.

Police and security agencies in multiple countries scramble to piece together background and intentions of Hamam al-HammamiInvestigators believe the co-pilot who tried to take control of a plane from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week originally planned his attack for July but postponed the hijacking, possibly because a friend was among the crew, regional and Israeli officials have said.The evidence of prior planning suggests that Hamam al-Hammami, 29, may have specifically sought employment with an airline that flew to Israel in order to carry out the attack on last Wednesday’s flydubai ‌flight FZ1073, experts believe. Continue reading...

The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of trying to crash a packed plane planned the attack for months, and should never even have been cleared to fly to Israel, sources tell CBS News.

Israel was ready to implement a long-practiced protocol after the captain of a FlyDubai plane was attacked in the cockpit, Israeli sources told CBS News.

Hamam al-Hammami, the flight’s co-pilot, is accused of attacking the pilot before trying to seize control of the plane.

The man who allegedly attacked his co-pilot during a FlyDubai flight to Israel was apparently carrying out a lone-wolf attack, sources tell CBS News. Matt Gutman has more from the survivors who prevented a catastrophe.

ABC News spoke with two senior U.S. officials and an Israeli source familiar with the investigation.

Hamam al-Hammami allegedly planned to crash FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 into Ben Gurion Airport, according to reports on the terrorism investigation.

The man has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, by several media reports. His identity has not, however, been publicly confirmed by UAE authorities or flydubai.

The man has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, by several media reports. His identity has not, however, been publicly confirmed by UAE authorities or flydubai.

The Omani national was a "lone wolf" extremist, according to the reports.

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

The investigation has found the attacker intended to crash the plane into Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport, a person familiar with the matter not authorized to speak publicly told NPR.

The Omani national had planned to crash last Wednesday’s flight into Ben-Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, source says

Co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami told detectives it was his 'dream' to crash a plane into Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, intelligence sources revealed as further lapses in vetting came to light

The flydubai co-pilot who attacked Captain Smit Machchhar in an attempt to crash the Israel-bound flight likely acted alone, according to reports on October 4, 2026. Unconfirmed media reports identified the attacker as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, who The Wall Street Journal noted was previously barred from flying in Oman due to radical ideological views.

Flydubai co-pilot 'planned attack before being hired', targeted Israel airport: Reports

Another source said Hamam al-Hammami also operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and intended to hijack and crash the plane then, but opted not to.

Another source said Hamam al-Hammami also operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and intended to hijack and crash the plane then, but opted not to.

Another source said Hamam al-Hammami also operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and intended to hijack and crash the plane then, but opted not to.

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday. The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team – which comprises federal police, Victorian state police and the ASIO intelligence agency – was […]

A co-pilot who stabbed his captain on a FlyDubai flight in an alleged bid to crash the plane planned the attack before he worked for the airline, officials say.

A co-pilot who stabbed his captain on a FlyDubai flight in an alleged bid to crash the plane planned the attack before he worked for the airline, officials say.

By Alexander Cornwell and Maayan LubellJERUSALEM, Oct 5 (Reuters) - The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane last week told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before being hired by the airline, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the probe.

By Alexander Cornwell and Maayan LubellJERUSALEM, Oct 5 (Reuters) - The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane has told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before he was hired by the Dubai state-owned airline, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the probe.

'The dream was to crash into Ben Gurion Airport,' the co-pilot allegedly said during interrogation.

The Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking captain Smit Machchhar mid-air allegedly planned the attack before joining the airline. Investigators are probing his previous trips to Israel, career history, possible motive and links to Australia, while reports suggest he may have acted alone.

Tel Aviv, Israel: Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday, raising new questions over how the attacker evaded detection.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later told the head of the National Security Council to appoint an examiner to review "all security aspects regarding foreign civil aviation to Israel."With the investigation into the FlyDubai incident underway, preliminary details have highlighted several major security lapses. Officials already have said the Omani co-pilot had been barred from flying by his own country because of concerns about his extremist views. It also remains unclear how a citizen of Oman, an Arab country that has no diplomatic relations with Israel, was allowed to fly a planeload of Israelis to Tel Aviv.The UAE, which is leading the investigation, said the co-pilot attacked the flight's captain with the cockpit's crash ax and tried to take control of the plummeting plane in a "terrorist attack" Wednesday. His actions nearly crashed the flight with 182 people on board before the Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and others to rush in and subdue the attacker.Israel did not raise concerns about passengers and crewThe regional officials said Emirati authorities had shared information about the passengers and crew, including their nationalities. Israel hadn't raised red flags on any passenger or member of the crew, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters about the probe.The Shin Bet, Israel's domestic security agency, said the Transportation Ministry is responsible for vetting passenger lists from foreign flights. Transportation Minister Miri Regev on X said the security agencies are responsible for flight security and that her ministry wasn't given a list of passengers or any warnings.Sharing the list is standard aviation procedure. But the head of aviation security at the Transportation Ministry, Dvir Rubenstien, told Army Radio that the ministry relies on local security checks and does not have the tools or the ability to run checks on each passenger on every flight.Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel has long-standing agreements with foreign carriers to keep pilots from flying into the country if they are citizens of nations that don't maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.Australian police said Sunday that counterterrorism investigators were looking into the attacker's possible connections to Australia, where media have reported he went on a student visa to study at university about a decade ago. The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology said Monday he was enrolled at the school for a time but did not successfully complete an engineering qualification.The passengers who halted the attack and helped regain control of the aircraft have been hailed as heroes in Israel.Questions being raised about security failuresBut as the initial euphoria of the rescue has subsided, officials have begun to raise difficult questions and trade accusations about the security blunders that could have led to a major disaster.Ahead of the elections at the end of the month, some opposition candidates have seized on the security failures to highlight what they perceive as negligence on the part of Netanyahu and his supporters. Transportation Minister Regev is a member of Netanyahu's Likud party and a staunch supporter."This is exactly what system collapse looks like," Yair Golan, head of the opposition Democrats party, wrote on X. "A transportation minister who completely abandons our skies, and a prime minister who abandons national security."It also remains unclear how FlyDubai, a low-cost Emirati airline that operates flights between Israel and the UAE, had failed to identify the Omani pilot as a security risk.Philip Baum, a visiting professor of aviation security at Coventry University in England who wrote a book about aircraft hijackings and bombings, said background check systems differ from country to country and there are limits on what types of information can be shared."In terms of aviation security itself, obviously we want to have as robust background checks as possible. But there are huge limitations on doing background checks in any case, especially in cross-border checks," he said.

The revelation about the co-pilot's dismissal from Oman Air will likely raise questions about how he was able to get a job at Flydubai.

Australia investigates the FlyDubai co-pilot accused of attacking a captain on a flight to Israel.

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday.

The Omani national is in custody after allegedly attempting to crash a plane bound for Israel.

'Terrorist' pilot Hamam al-Hammami, who attempted to hijack a Flydubai passenger plane, had  'dreamed' of crashing it into Tel Aviv's main airport and causing mass casualties, sources claim.

'Terrorist' pilot Hamam al-Hammami, who attempted to hijack a Flydubai passenger plane, had  'dreamed' of crashing it into Tel Aviv's main airport and causing mass casualties, sources claim.

Chilling details have emerged about what a flydubai copilot allegedly planned to do after seizing control of the aircraft.

Chilling details have emerged about what a flydubai copilot allegedly planned to do after seizing control of the aircraft.

Israeli authorities received information, including the nationalities, of the crew and passengers aboard a Flydubai flight from the United Arab Emirates before its co-pilot attempted to seize control of the aircraft and crash it, but Israel did not flag any concerns, according to a report. Authorities in the UAE provided Israel with a list of […]

The Omani co-pilot who axed the captain of a FlyDubai passenger jet reportedly intended to take control of the aircraft and crash it into a building in Tel Aviv.

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who allegedly stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday. The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team — which comprises federal police, Victorian state police and the ASIO intelligence agency — was “investigating the man’s links to Australia”, the Australian Federal Police spokesperson said. Two sources briefed on the investigation said the co-pilot studied at a university in Melbourne, the capital of the Australian state of Victoria. A third source said he studied at RMIT University around a decade ago. RMIT declined to comment. The co-pilot of the flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel from Dubai on Wednesday, attacked the pilot with an emergency crash axe, the United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor general said on Saturday, calling the incident a “terrorist attack”. Flight FZ1073 would have felt like a “vertical roller coaster” when it plunged 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds before being levelled out and landing safely, according to an aviation instructor who recreated the descent in a flight simulator for Reuters. Co-pilot in UAE custody Two sources have said the co-pilot is an Omani national named Hamam Al-Hamami. Israeli officials have not named the co-pilot but said that he is from Oman. UAE authorities and flydubai have not publicly disclosed the co-pilot’s identity. Reuters could not independently reach Al-Hamami, who is in UAE custody, for comment. The UAE has not announced any formal charges against him and it is not known if he has appointed legal counsel. Oman has not commented on the incident. Disaster on board flight FZ1073 was averted after passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, who had attacked the captain in what Israeli officials said was an attempt to crash the plane carrying more than 170 passengers and crew. The UAE public prosecutor has said the co-pilot had attempted to take control of the plane. ‘Extremist websites’ Most of the passengers on board were Israeli nationals. A reserve flydubai pilot travelling on the flight took control of the aircraft and landed it at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was detained by Saudi authorities and later transferred to the UAE on Thursday. The Financial Times reported on Sunday that Al-Hamami had allegedly visited “mosques and extremist websites” while in Australia, citing two people familiar with the investigation. Australian intelligence services held a file on the individual, according to FT. Reuters could not immediately verify the FT report. The government of Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside normal business hours. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security review of international flights to Israel after the incident. Netanyahu “has instructed the Head of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, to appoint an examiner to conduct a thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to Israel”, a statement from the premier’s office said. Israel does not have official diplomatic relations with Oman, and Netanyahu has also claimed pilots from such countries were not permitted to operate flights to Israel. It is not clear how the co-pilot came to be assigned to the flight to Tel Aviv. Additional input from AFP

Australian police and intelligence join the list of those probing the incident.

Officials have previously said that the co-pilot, who was from Oman, had been prohibited from flying in his home country over concerns linked to his extremist views.

The co-pilot has been identified by multiple media outlets as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, although his identity has not been officially confirmed

Al-Hammami's original plot was to kill Flight Captain Smit Machchhar, fly the plane to Tel Aviv, and crash it into one of the city's skyscrapers, said the report.

With the investigation underway, preliminary details about the incident have highlighted several major security lapses.

Al-Hammami's original plot was to kill Flight Captain Smit Machchhar, fly the plane to Tel Aviv, and crash it into one of the city's skyscrapers, said the report.

An Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating the co-pilot's links to Australia after he stabbed his captain and attempted to hijack flydubai flight FZ1073.

The alleged FlyDubai hijacker is being questioned in the United Arab Emirates, and Israeli investigators now believe he was a lone wolf, sources said. Matt Gutman reports.

Preliminary details about the incident released during the ongoing investigation have highlighted several major security lapses

On September 30, the flydubai Flight FZ1073 faced a cockpit attack when Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar. The injured pilot bravely opened the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to subdue the co-pilot. The flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where al-Hammami was apprehended by authorities. Investigations have since been undertaken by several countries into al-Hammami’s background and possible extremist ties.

Aviation security protocols under scrutiny after co-pilot accused of attempted axe attack aboard Flydubai flight.

Australian authorities are probing the attacker’s possible connections to the country, police say

UAE shared FlyDubai crew list with Israel before foiled cockpit attack

By Praveen Menon and Alexander CornwellSYDNEY/TEL AVIV, Oct 4 (Reuters) - A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday.The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team – which comprises federal police, Victorian state police and the ASIO intelligence agency – were "investigating the man's links to Australia," the Australian Federal Police spokesperson said.

Oct 4 (Reuters) - Australian police said on Sunday that authorities there were investigating the "links to Australia" of a flydubai co-pilot who attacked the captain on a flight to Tel Aviv.The co-pilot of the flydubai flight 1073, which was bound for Israel from Dubai, attacked the pilot with an emergency crash axe, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, calling the incident a "terrorist attack".The co-pilot of the flydubai jet was identified as ‌Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters.

The co-pilot identified as Hamam al-Hammami, 29, attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an axe allegedly in an attempt to crash the flight with more than 170 passengers. His motive behind the attack remains unknown.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday, raising new questions over how the attacker evaded detection.

Australian authorities are investigating a flydubai co-pilot's "links to Australia" after he attacked the captain ​on a Tel Aviv-bound flight.

Regional officials say authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of last week's FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it

The UAE shared passenger and crew information with Israel before a FlyDubai flight whose Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and tried to seize control, AP reported. The co-pilot had reportedly been barred from flying by Oman over extremist concerns before joining FlyDubai. The incident has raised questions over Israel’s foreign-flight security system, despite previous warnings about inadequate checks and limited resources within the Transportation Ministry.

While the investigation continues, preliminary details about the incident have highlighted several major security lapses

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday.

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of the FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it, regional officials said Sunday, raising new questions over how the attacker evaded detection.

Regional officials say authorities in the United Arab Emirates shared with Israel a list of passengers and crew ahead of last week's FlyDubai flight on which a pilot attempted to seize control of the Israel-bound aircraft and crash it

The co-pilot’s embrace of extreme Islamist views prompted Omani officials to scrutinize him, according to two people briefed on the investigation.

In a shocking incident aboard a flydubai flight, the co-pilot viciously attacked the pilot with a crash axe, igniting a heroic response from passengers. Israeli individuals bravely intervened to subdue the assailant, while crew members' calls for the attackers' release sparked suspicion among those onboard. After landing in Tabuk, passengers faced psychological scars from the frightening ordeal, as investigations into the attack and crew actions continue.

State police and the country's security agency are looking into the co-pilot, who attempted to take control of a Flydubai plane travelling to Israel.

The co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami from Oman, attacked the captain of the flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.

The Omani government had been monitoring al-Hamami during his tenure with Oman Air - the airline where he had previously worked - and discovered that he had visited extremist websites.

Counter-terrorism investigators are looking into the Australian links of a FlyDubai co-pilot accused of trying to seize control of a flight bound for Israel.

The alleged hijacking of a FlyDubai flight has sparked a counter-terrorism investigation into the co-pilot’s Australian links.

The alleged hijacking of a FlyDubai flight has sparked a counter-terrorism investigation into the co-pilot’s Australian links.

DUBAI — UAE investigators have said the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel this week was planning a “terrorist act” and used the cockpit’s emergency axe to attack the captain, but they did not reveal his motive. During the flight on Wednesday, its Indian captain was assaulted by the co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Initial findings from a UAE investigation did not disclose the co-pilot’s nationality, according to a report Saturday by the country’s state news agency WAM, but a Saudi source […]...Keep on reading: UAE investigators: flydubai co-pilot was planning 'terrorist act'

Israeli official identified alleged attacker as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami

The probe follows reports identifying Hammam Al Hammami, 29, as the co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack the aircraft on Wednesday.

The captain was assaulted by the co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others onboard to overpower the attacker.

A Flydubai pilot attacked his flight captain using a crash ax and tried to take control of the aircraft’s controls in an attempted terrorist attack, an official with the United Arab Emirates said Saturday. NBC News’ Raf Sanchez reports.

The United Arab Emirates says the co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight that nearly crashed with 182 people on board attacked the captain with the cockpit’s crash ax in a “terrorist attack.”

The use of the crash axe dispels concerns that the suspect carried a knife onto the aircraft, but sets off a debate about future safeguards against rogue pilots.

Omani national Hamam Al Hammami, 29, severely wounded captain Smit Machchhar using the onboard crash axe as he attempted to hijack an Israel-bound flight.

Omani national Hamam Al Hammami, 29, severely wounded captain Smit Machchhar using the onboard crash axe as he attempted to hijack an Israel-bound flight.

The new details raised questions about how thoroughly FlyDubai vets potential employees, and how the co-pilot's presence on a flight filled with Israeli passengers got past Israel's strict security protocols.

The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of an Israel-bound flight with an ax and trying to seize the controls was an Omani national who had been barred from flying on his country's airline because of concerns about extremist views, officials said Saturday.

The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami.

UAE investigators have said the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel this week was planning a "terrorist act" and used the cockpit's emergency axe to attack the captain, but they did not reveal his motive. During the flight on Wednesday, its Indian captain was assaulted by the co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

It was unclear what background checks had been carried out before he was allowed to fly to Israel.

The FlyDubai co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the UAE prosecutor general said.

The pilot suspected of having attacked another pilot aboard a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight on Wednesday was removed from a previous job at Oman’s national airline last year following concerns about his extremist views, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The pilot is an Omani citizen named Hamam al-Hammami, according to the two … The post Terrorist images found on Flydubai suspect’s social media appeared first on Egypt Independent.

The co-pilot who allegedly attempted to hijack a plane en route to Tel Aviv from Dubai on Wednesday has been named

The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on an Israel-bound flight with an axe had been barred from flying on his country's airline because of concerns about extremist views.

UAE prosecutors say flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami used a crash axe to attack the pilot in an attempted hijack of an Israel-bound flight.

Investigators describe incident as attempted terror attack

Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, is alleged to have tried to hijack a FlyDubai plane with 182 people on board after attacking the captain before passengers helped to subdue him

It remains unclear how the pilot, who is accused of trying to crash a flydubai flight after stabbing the captain, managed to get on a sensitive route despite being banned from flying in Oman due to concerns that he had adopted extremist views

Hamam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain on a Tel Aviv-bound flight, was previously grounded by Oman Air in 2024.

Passengers and crew intervened after the co-pilot attacked the captain, allowing a reserve pilot to take control and land

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel, attempted to carry out a “terrorist attack” with an axe during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday. The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. A second […]

UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning 'terrorist act' UAE investigators have said the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel this week was planning a "terrorist act" and used the cockpit's emergency axe to attack the captain, but they did not reveal his motive. Initial findings from the UAE's investigation into the attack also did not confirm his nationality, according to a report on Saturday from the country's state news agency WAM, but a Saudi source has confirmed to AFP that he was Omani. Media reports have also said he had been barred from flying in his home nation over concerns about extremist views. The reports came as the first flight carrying Israelis home from the United Arab Emirates landed in Tel Aviv after services were suspended following the attack, according to Israel's airport authority website. "The co-pilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist act" and had "attacked the captain in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control of the aircraft," WAM quoted UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi as saying, referring to initial findings of an investigation. Reporting by AFP

The FlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed the Tel-Aviv bound flight is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami. He was barred from flying by Oman amid concerns he showed signs of extremist views. The incident threw the already hard-hit regional travel industry into crisis.

A Flydubai pilot attacked his fellow pilot using a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft’s flight controls in an attempted terrorist attack, an official in the United Arab Emirates said Saturday.

Accused pilot Hamam al-Hammami reportedly barred from flying in Oman due to concerns over extremist views.

Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, is accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar on a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv before trying to seize the controls

The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with an axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said.

The co-pilot who allegedly attempted to down a flydubai plane had been barred from flying in his home country of Oman. Initial investigations have uncovered the use of a crash axe, a tool typically used in emergencies, in the mid-flight attack. 

The co-pilot, who officials said nearly crashed the sharply plummeting flight with 182 people aboard, was allegedly barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views

The co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel used the cockpit's emergency axe to attack the captain, but investigators did not reveal his motive.

The co-pilot of FlyDubai Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv attempted to “take control of the aircraft” to carry out a “terrorist act,” UAE officials said.

A routine flydubai service bound for Israel erupted into chaos this week when, UAE investigators say, the co-pilot launched an assault in the cockpit and tried to seize the aircraft using an emergency axe. Authorities in the United Arab Emirates said their preliminary investigation concluded the co-pilot was attempting to carry out a “terrorist act,” […]

Attorney general says ‘terrorist attack’ was attempted by suspect who is said to have been barred from flying by Oman because of extremist views

FlyDubai copilot accused in axe attack was earlier barred over extremist views

The man, who stabbed his fellow pilot on an Israel-bound Flydubai flight, was reportedly barred from flying in his native Oman over security concerns.

Emirati authorities have not publicly identified the co-pilot, but Israeli officials have previously said he is an Omani national.

The UAE's attorney general said the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel had planned a "terrorist act" and used the cockpit's emergency axe to attack the captain, the official UAE news agency WAM reported Saturday. The post UAE investigators say flydubai co-pilot was planning ‘terrorist act’ appeared first on Vanguard News.

The U.A.E. airline later hired the co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, who stabbed the captain of Flight 1073 and nearly crashed the plane.

Under international aviation regulations, a crash axe is mandatory in every commercial airliner and is kept in the cockpit for use during emergencies such as crashes.

Flight 1073 was heading to Tel Aviv when the attack was launched in the cockpit

The flydubai plane plunged more than 17,000ft two and a half hours into its journey before passengers and crew overpowered the attacker.

Oct 3 (Reuters) - The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM.The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identity.

The co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain of an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight before passengers and others stopped the attack is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and Western diplomat, said on Saturday....Keep on reading: ‘Terror attack’: FlyDubai captain hurt using cockpit’s crash axe, UAE says

The UAE’s attorney general said the co-pilot of a flydubai flight to Israel had planned a “terrorist act” and used the cockpit’s emergency axe to attack the captain, the official UAE news agency WAM reported Saturday. The news agency quoted Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi as saying that according to the initial findings of an investigation, “the co-pilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist act” and had “attacked the captain in the cockpit with the emergency axe and tried to take control of the aircraft”. Barred from flying The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a flydubai flight to Israel had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his extremist views, multiple media outlets reported. Scrutiny into the alleged assailant — who was identified in the reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami — and his motives has intensified after Wednesday’s drama aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv route that officials say narrowly avoided catastrophe. During the flydubai flight, the jet’s Indian captain was assaulted by his co-pilot but he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Omani authorities had banned the pilot from flying over concerns he had adopted radical ideological views, citing people familiar with the matter. CNN, citing two sources familiar with the matter, reported the pilot was removed from a job at Oman’s national airline last year over concerns about extremist views. Al Arabiya, citing an informed source, reported that Omani authorities determined that the co-pilot held extremist views. The broadcaster said he had also spent time in Syria, raising concerns he may have been influenced by radical groups there. ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, reported the suspect had allegedly been found in possession of extremist materials while he was a trainee.

UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi’s comments were the first by ​Emirati authorities to describe ‌the incident as an attempted “terrorist” attack

The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight before passengers and others tackled him is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, three people with…

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Omani authorities had banned the pilot from flying over concerns he had adopted radical ideological views, citing people familiar with the matter. The post Suspect in flydubai attack was barred from flying in Oman – Reports appeared first on Vanguard News.

CAIRO — The co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain of an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight before passengers and others stopped the attack is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and Western diplomat, said on Saturday. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The Gulf diplomat said investigations are underway to establish whether he acted as a “lone wolf or has any connection with any extremist groups.” The co-pilot, who officials said nearly crashed the sharply plummeting flight with 182 people aboard, was barred from flying by Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said. The co-pilot was then hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline FlyDubai, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired. Oman’s barring of him was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. How the co-pilot managed to be wo

Attorney general says ‘terrorist attack’ was attempted by suspect who is said to have been barred from flying by Oman because of extremist viewsThe co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 used a crash axe to attempt to carry out a “terrorist attack” during the flight, the United ⁠Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to a state news agency.The UAE statement cited the prosecutor general as saying the co-pilot also tried to take control of the plane during Wednesday’s attack on the Israel-bound flight. Passengers and crew intervened to subdue the co-pilot and stabilise the plane. Officials said the co-pilot’s actions nearly crashed the flight with 182 people on board by sending it into a sharp plunge. Continue reading...

Hamam Al-Hammami was reportedly barred from flying previously by Omani authorities for his radical ideological views, the WSJ reported

Investigators are examining how Omani national Hamam al-Hammami came to be flying for FlyDubai after officials said he had previously been removed from flying.

A shocking incident occurred on a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot allegedly launched an attack on the captain with a crash axe, prompting an emergency landing. Passengers reported hearing strange noises and quickly intervened to restrain the assailant and regain control. Authorities are currently investigating the co-pilot's past for extremist links, raising serious concerns about his motivations and state of mind during the flight.

Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a knife on a FlyDubai flight to Israel before he was overpowered

A Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The captain was injured, while passengers and pilots helped restrain the suspect.

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM.

The co-pilot of flydubai flight ⁠FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general has said, according ⁠to the state news agency WAM.

UAE prosecutor general says flydubai co-pilot 'attempted terrorist attack' The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted to carry out a "terrorist" attack during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday, according to the state news agency WAM. The co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with an axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the prosecutor general said. Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, the motives and any related connections, as well as to examine physical and digital evidence, he added. Report by Reuters.

The Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain aboard a Flydubai flight on September 30 had been barred from flying in his country for security reasons. Several media outlets reported that Omani authorities suspected him of holding radical ideological views.

The co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain on an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight has been identified as an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami

The co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain of an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight before passengers and others stopped the attack is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, three people…

The co-pilot on the FlyDubai flight who attacked the plane’s captain was an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, according to reports.

The co-pilot suspected of stabbing the captain on an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight has been identified as an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami

CAIRO (AP) — The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on an Israel-bound flight with an axe and trying to seize the controls was an Omani national who’d been barred from flying on his country’s airline because of concerns about extremist views, officials said Saturday.

The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a flydubai flight to Israel had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his extremist views, multiple media outlets reported. Scrutiny into the alleged assailant — who was identified in the reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami — and his motives has intensified after Wednesday’s drama aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv route that officials say narrowly avoided catastrophe. During the flydubai flight, the jet’s Indian captain was assaulted by his co-pilot but he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and force an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Omani authorities had banned the pilot from flying over concerns he had adopted radical ideological views, citing people familiar with the matter. CNN, citing two sources familiar with the matter, reported the pilot was removed from a job at Oman’s national airline last year over concerns about extremist views. Al Arabiya, citing an informed source, reported that Omani authorities determined that the co-pilot held extremist views. The broadcaster said he had also spent time in Syria, raising concerns he may have been influenced by radical groups there. ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation, reported the suspect had allegedly been found in possession of extremist materials while he was a trainee.

Hamam Alhammami, an Omani citizen born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother, was reportedly barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns that he had adopted extremist views.

Hamam Alhammami, an Omani citizen born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother, was reportedly barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns that he had adopted extremist views.

Al-Hammami was reportedly barred from flying previously by Omani authorities for his radical ideological views, the Wall Street Journal reported

A Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The captain was injured, while passengers and pilots helped restrain...

A Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, forcing an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The captain was injured, while passengers and pilots helped restrain the suspect.

During a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, an alarming incident unfolded when Hamam al-Hammami assaulted Captain Smit Machchhar. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Noteworthy is al-Hammami's prior identification by Oman Air for holding extremist views, prompting authorities to delve into the attack’s motives and potential terrorism connections.

The Flydubai co-pilot who officials said nearly crashed a Tel Aviv-bound flight with 182 people aboard was barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The co-pilot was subsequently hired by the United Arab Emirates-based airline, the person said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation. It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted when he was hired in the...

The man who stabbed his fellow pilot, the captain of the Israel-bound Flydubai flight, was also reportedly barred from flying in his native Oman over security concerns, according to a US media report.

The man who stabbed his fellow pilot, the captain of the Israel-bound Flydubai flight, was reportedly barred from flying in his native Oman over security concerns.

The pilot is accused of deliberately trying to bring down a plane carrying 182 people.

While Emirati authorities have not publicly identified the co-pilot, Israeli officials have claimed ​he is Omani

The co-pilot of the flight has not yet been publicly identified, although multiple sources familiar with the investigation told a media outlet on Friday that his name is Hamam al Hamami.

The co-pilot in the FlyDubai attack has been identified by outlets as Hamam Al Hammami, an Omani national.

Hamam Alhamami spent most of his time outside Oman, particularly in Syria, where he was allegedly influenced by extremist ideas. He then travelled to the UAE.

Hamam Alhamami spent most of his time outside Oman, particularly in Syria, where he was allegedly influenced by extremist ideas. He then travelled to the UAE.

Reports say the FlyDubai co-pilot was previously flagged over extremist views, raising questions about airline vetting.

The attack left the region’s travel industry in crisis, raising questions about aviation security and further unsettling West Asia, already shaken by the U.S.-Iran war

Flydubai copilot who stabbed captain identified was barred from flying by Oman

FlyDubai copilot was barred by Oman before alleged Tel Aviv crash bid

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radicalization,” but has provided no evidence to back the assertion.

The FlyDubai co-pilot who allegedly tried to crash an Israel-bound flight this week was fired from Oman Air for "extremist views," sources say. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab reports.

The report follows comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attempted hijacking, saying that the hijacker underwent radical Islamist indoctrination and was clearly suicidal.

The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of trying to crash a plane was suspended as a security risk in 2024, officials say. How he ended up in the cockpit is still unclear.

An Omani co-pilot who tried to hijack a flydubai flight carrying 174 people was previously banned by Oman over radical views, according to reports.

The Omani co-pilot accused of trying to crash a Flydubai passenger jet carrying more than 170 people, nearly all of them Israeli, had previously been barred from flying over concerns about extremist views and identified as a security risk — and has indicated to investigators that he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel, according to reports Friday. The post Flydubai Hijacker Was Barred by Oman, Flagged ‘Security Risk’ — Intended to Crash Jet in Israel appeared first on Breitbart.

The co-pilot of the FlyDubai plane who allegedly attacked its captain is an Omani national who was previously suspended by Oman Air as a security risk, sources say.