- Co-pilot attacked captain, attempted plane crash, admitted intent.
- Suspect had extremist ties, previously barred from flying.
- Passengers and off-duty pilots subdued co-pilot, landed aircraft.
FlyDubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, who allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an onboard axe and attempted to crash a passenger aircraft carrying more than 170 people, told investigators that he deliberately wanted to bring down the plane and was not afraid of death, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
A Saudi official briefed on Hammami’s interrogation told the newspaper that the co-pilot acknowledged his intention to crash the aircraft and said he had no fear of dying.
The revelations have raised fresh questions about how Hammami, an Omani national whose interest in extremist websites had reportedly attracted the attention of authorities, was able to return to the cockpit and operate an international flight.
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From Aviation Enthusiast To Suspected Attacker
According to the WSJ report, Hammami had previously expressed his passion for aviation and flight training in a now-deleted social media post written in Arabic in June 2022.
“What makes aviation and flight training so beautiful is that it’s anything but routine,” he wrote.
He also recalled milestones such as his first solo flight and the first time he landed an aircraft carrying passengers, describing them as experiences a pilot would never forget.
Investigators are examining what may have led to the alleged attack on the captain and whether Hammami’s background raised concerns that were overlooked during his recruitment by FlyDubai.
According to people familiar with the investigation, cited by the WSJ, Hammami’s first aviation employer, state-owned Oman Air, had barred him from flying after authorities became aware of his interest in extremist websites.
He was subsequently enrolled in a deradicalisation programme and assigned a desk job, the report said. He later secured employment in the United Arab Emirates.
Suspect Was Previously Identified As Security Risk
The co-pilot of a FlyDubai aircraft was previously suspended from flying by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk, according to ABC news citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials.
According to the officials, Al Hammami was working as a co-pilot trainee for Oman Air in 2024 when he was found in possession of extremist materials. He was subsequently barred from flying but allowed to continue working for the airline in an administrative role, the sources said.
Deleted Social Media Posts Under Scrutiny
Investigators are also examining Hammami’s online activity. According to the WSJ, more than 3,000 screenshots from his deleted X account remain accessible through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
Several posts reportedly expressed opposition to women working and a preference for religious women who wore veils.
In a December 2021 post, Hammami allegedly wrote that he had created a fake account posing as Syrian or Lebanese and contacted Saudi women. He expressed surprise that some women sent him their photographs.
In another post, he reportedly said he had rejected the idea of his wife working, writing: “I have a rule that my wife doesn’t work.”
Images recovered through Google’s image cache also appeared to show posts from his now-deleted Instagram account published on the day of the incident.
One reportedly depicted a trail of lights connecting the Muslim holy sites of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, accompanied by a nationalist poem by 19th-century Egyptian poet Mahmoud Sami al-Baroudi.
What Happened Aboard FlyDubai Flight
According to Reuters, FlyDubai Flight 1073 departed Dubai at 0305 GMT carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, most of them Israeli.
At 0521 GMT, while the aircraft was in Saudi airspace, it made a sharp turn and plunged towards the ground twice before stabilising. During one of the dives, it lost more than 16,000 feet in just over 30 seconds.
The aircraft subsequently transmitted distress signals indicating an emergency and unlawful interference before changing course over Jordanian airspace and diverting to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
An Israeli official told Reuters that the aircraft’s transponder was switched off for nearly half an hour.
Inside the cockpit, Hammami allegedly attacked and wounded Captain Machchhar with an emergency axe. The UAE prosecutor general confirmed that an axe was used in the assault.
During one of the aircraft’s dives, the wounded captain, who was lying on the floor, managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers then rushed in and overpowered the co-pilot.
Israeli officials, citing witnesses, said Hammami appeared to be striking the control panel and attempting to crash the aircraft.
One passenger helped stabilise the plane after the co-pilot was subdued. Two off-duty pilots travelling on the flight subsequently took control and landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia, Reuters reported.
Both pilots were injured in the incident. Videos reviewed by Reuters showed wounded crew members, apparent bloodstains on the cabin walls and passengers restraining the co-pilot.
Passengers And Off-Duty Pilots Help Prevent Disaster
Reuters reported that a woman first noticed the commotion when the captain opened the cockpit door and alerted other passengers. At least four passengers rushed forward to restrain Hammami.
One passenger said he helped pull the co-pilot away from the controls, while others attacked and restrained him. Two passengers reportedly tied Hammami up using earphone cables.
A doctor travelling on the aircraft treated the injured captain.
The presence of two off-duty pilots also proved crucial, as they took control of the aircraft and completed the emergency landing.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: abplive.com
