The investigation into the dramatic flydubai incident has taken a new turn, with reports revealing more about the co-pilot accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar during the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. The co-pilot has been identified by multiple reports as Hamam Alhammami, an Omani national. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Oman had previously barred him from flying after concerns were raised about alleged extremist views. He later joined flydubai and was working as a co-pilot when the September 30 incident unfolded.
Reports also suggest that investigators are examining whether Alhammami deliberately intended to crash the aircraft in Israel. However, the exact motive and whether anyone else was involved remain under investigation. Israeli officials have described the incident as terrorism, while authorities in the UAE are conducting their own investigation.
Who Is Hamam Alhammami?
Hamam Alhammami is reportedly an Omani citizen who was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother. Sources cited by several media outlets said he spent considerable time outside Oman, including in Syria.
According to reports, Alhammami had previously worked with Oman Air. He was reportedly training as a co-pilot in 2024 when authorities allegedly found extremist material in his possession. He was subsequently allowed to continue working with the airline in an administrative capacity but was reportedly barred from flying because he was considered a security concern.
That history is now being examined closely because Alhammami later obtained flying work outside Oman.
A now-deleted LinkedIn profile reportedly stated that he had worked with Oman Air for several years. CNN, citing the profile and sources, reported that he later joined Royal Air Maroc before moving to flydubai. He had reportedly been working with flydubai for only around eight months when the cockpit attack took place.
Reportedly Barred From Flying In Oman
The reported decision by Oman to prevent Alhammami from flying has become one of the most important aspects of the investigation.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the concerns were related to what authorities allegedly considered radical views. It remains unclear what information was shared with other airlines or aviation authorities when Alhammami subsequently sought flying jobs outside Oman.
This has raised questions about how information concerning aviation personnel is shared across countries. It has also put the focus on the screening process for pilots who move between airlines and jurisdictions. Neither flydubai nor Oman had publicly commented on all the allegations reported about Alhammami at the time of the latest reports. The UAE has launched an investigation into the incident and is examining whether terrorism or premeditation played a role.
Social Media Posts Raise More Questions
Investigators are also examining social media accounts that were allegedly linked to Alhammami. CNN reported that a now-deleted LinkedIn account bearing his name made two posts shortly after the flydubai incident. One reportedly contained footage from the cockpit of a Boeing 737 MAX and showed an aircraft belonging to Israeli airline El Al before ending with images of Ayman al-Zawahiri and another figure associated with a 2009 suicide bombing.
Another reported post contained an AI-generated image featuring Islam’s three holiest sites in Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. It was accompanied by a poem that referred to rejecting humiliation, not fearing death and defending one’s dignity.
CNN also reported that an X account allegedly linked to Alhammami presented him as deeply religious and misogynistic. These reported online activities are now part of the broader investigation into his background and possible motive.
It is important to note that the accounts were reportedly deleted, and the material attributed to them is being examined by investigators. Its existence alone does not establish the full motive behind the attack.
What Happened Inside The Flydubai Cockpit?
The incident happened aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073 on September 30. The aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board. According to the investigation, Alhammami allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The plane was cruising at around 34,000 feet when it went into a dramatic descent. Reuters reported that the aircraft lost more than 16,000 feet in around 30 seconds during the incident.
Captain Machchhar was seriously injured during the confrontation. Despite his injuries, he managed to unlock the cockpit door. That allowed passengers and crew members to enter and help overpower the attacker. The aircraft’s emergency systems had already been activated. It first transmitted the general emergency code 7700 and later switched to 7500, the code associated with unlawful interference.
Passengers And Crew Helped Stop The Attack
The situation inside the aircraft was chaotic. Passengers near the front of the plane rushed towards the cockpit after the door was opened. One passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, reportedly helped restrain Alhammami. Other passengers and crew members also became involved in controlling the attacker.
At the same time, Captain Machchhar was seriously injured and had suffered significant blood loss. A dentist travelling on the flight reportedly provided medical assistance to him before the aircraft landed.
Two off-duty pilots who were also on board subsequently helped take control of the aircraft. The flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Captain Machchhar later told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had managed to open the cockpit door despite his injuries. Reuters reported that he was eventually transferred to Abu Dhabi for further treatment and was in stable condition.
Was The Plane Deliberately Being Taken Towards Israel?
This is one of the key questions being investigated. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that the co-pilot attempted to crash the aircraft and that he had undergone what Netanyahu described as radical Islamist indoctrination. Israeli authorities have been investigating whether the incident was an isolated act or whether anyone else was involved.
The UAE has also opened an investigation to determine whether terrorism was involved and whether the incident was planned in advance. The co-pilot was initially detained in Saudi Arabia after the emergency landing and was later transferred to the UAE, where the investigation is continuing. At this stage, investigators have not publicly established every detail surrounding the alleged motive.
Questions Over Aviation Security
The revelations about Alhammami’s reported history have added another layer to an already serious aviation security investigation. If the reports about his previous flying restriction in Oman are confirmed, authorities will likely examine how he was subsequently able to obtain positions with other airlines. The case could also lead to questions about how security information concerning pilots is shared between aviation regulators, airlines and different countries.
For now, the investigation involves authorities from the UAE, Israel and Saudi Arabia. The suspect remains in custody, while investigators continue examining his background, digital activity and the events inside the cockpit.
Investigation Continues
The flydubai incident began as a terrifying mid-air emergency but ended without loss of life after Captain Machchhar, passengers and other crew members helped stop the alleged attack. The latest reports about Alhammami’s past, including his reported flying ban in Oman and alleged extremist material, could become important to the investigation. But several questions remain unanswered.
Investigators still need to establish the complete sequence of events, the motive behind the attack and whether anyone else was involved. For now, the case remains under investigation, while Captain Smit Machchhar continues to recover from the injuries he suffered while trying to prevent the aircraft from being brought down.
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