Flydubai Cockpit Attack: Omani Co-Pilot Identified as Hamam al-Hammami
Reports have also said that pilot Hamam al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman after concerns were raised about his alleged extremist views.
The Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing Indian Captain Smit Machchhar aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to Wall Street Journal, citing sources. Reports have also said that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman after concerns were raised about his alleged extremist views.
The incident took place on Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. The aircraft was forced to divert to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia after the confrontation inside the cockpit. Saudi authorities later handed the co-pilot over to the United Arab Emirates, where an investigation is underway. Flydubai Attack: Co-Pilot Was Previously Barred From Flying in Oman Over Radical Views, Report Says.
Captain Smit Machchhar Stabbed During Flight
According to officials and reports, the co-pilot attacked Captain Machchhar while the Boeing 737 was flying over Saudi Arabia. The aircraft subsequently went into a sharp descent. Reuters reported that flight-tracking data showed the plane losing more than 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds during its steepest descent before it was stabilised. The aircraft also transmitted an emergency signal indicating unlawful interference.
Despite being injured, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers then entered the cockpit and helped restrain the co-pilot. Two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft subsequently helped operate the plane until it landed safely at Tabuk airport. Donald Trump Says ‘It’s Possible’ Flydubai Pilot Linked to Iran’s IRGC (Video).
Co-Pilot Hamam al-Hammami Had Earlier Been Barred From Flying
Reports citing US officials and other sources said al-Hammami had previously been identified as a security concern while associated with Oman Air. ABC News reported that he had been working as a co-pilot trainee at Oman Air in 2024 when authorities allegedly found extremist material in his possession. He was reportedly grounded from flying for a period but continued working for the airline in an administrative capacity.
The Wall Street Journal, as cited by India Today, also reported that Omani authorities had previously prohibited al-Hammami from flying. It remains unclear whether concerns about him were formally communicated to other countries or airlines before he was employed by Flydubai. The precise nature of the alleged radicalisation has not been publicly established.
Investigation Examines Possible Motive
Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the cockpit attack and whether the incident was connected to terrorism or involved prior planning.
The UAE Attorney General has ordered an investigation into whether the incident had any connection with terrorist activity or a planned operation. Israeli investigators are also expected to participate in the UAE-led probe.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged that the co-pilot underwent what he described as Islamist radicalisation. However, investigators have not publicly established a final motive, and officials have cautioned that the inquiry remains ongoing.
Reports have also said that the suspect told investigators he intended to crash the aircraft in Israel, although this remains an allegation reported from sources familiar with the investigation rather than a final official finding.
Captain Machchhar Recovering
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot injured in the attack, was taken to hospital following the emergency landing. India's embassy in the UAE said he was in good health and recovering.
Machchhar joined Flydubai in 2022 after spending nearly 11 years with SpiceJet. He has been credited by officials and passengers with helping prevent the aircraft from losing control after the cockpit confrontation.
The investigation is now focused on reconstructing the events inside the cockpit, determining the co-pilot's motive and examining how he was able to obtain a commercial flying position after earlier concerns had reportedly been raised about him.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 03, 2026 08:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
