Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old flydubai copilot, was previously banned from flying by Oman’s national airline over concerns that he had been radicalized before being hired by the United Arab Emirates carrier to fly the Dubai to Tel Aviv route, multiple sources reported on Friday and Saturday.
Copilot stabs captain during flight
On Wednesday, al-Hammami stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar in an attempted terror attack aboard a Boeing 737 carrying 174 passengers, almost all of them Israelis. The aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the struggle.
Captain Machchhar, despite being covered in blood, opened the cockpit door so Israeli passengers could charge inside to overpower and tie up the copilot. Other pilots on board stabilized the aircraft and diverted for an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu states copilot underwent Islamist radical indoctrination
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that al-Hammami “underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.”
It remains unclear whether Muscat shared its concerns about al-Hammami with other countries or airlines.
Investigation Into Extremist Materials and Social Media
According to ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, al-Hammami is cooperating with investigators and has indicated that his intent was to crash the aircraft in Israel. A since-deleted LinkedIn account confirmed by a source familiar with the matter showed he worked at Oman Air for seven years until February 2025, worked at Royal Air Maroc from June 2025 until January 2026, and studied aviation management remotely at Buckinghamshire New University in England.
Hours after the attack, deleted X and Instagram accounts linked to al-Hammami published videos and images in quick succession. CNN reported that the posts featured footage of Israeli planes filmed from cockpits, photos of former al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, and images of Jordanian triple agent Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a 2009 suicide bombing at a CIA base in Afghanistan.
United Arab Emirates cancels flights to Israel
The United Arab Emirates canceled all flights to Israel immediately following the incident, disrupting travel routes established under the 2020 Abraham Accords. Israeli carriers Arkia and Israir launched repatriation flights, bringing stranded passengers home from Dubai.
Channel 12 News reported that flydubai officials stated they were ready to resume services to Israel as early as Saturday, but Israeli authorities forced the carrier to cancel flights until further notice. Captain Machchhar and al-Hammami were both returned to the UAE, with the pilot receiving medical treatment and the copilot facing interrogation.
Passengers subdue copilot after cockpit attack
What airline employed the copilot at the time of the attack?
The copilot was employed by flydubai and was operating a Boeing 737 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Where did the aircraft land after the cockpit attack?
The plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia after backup pilots on board stepped in to stabilize the aircraft.
How many passengers were on board the flight?
The flight was carrying 174 passengers, almost all of whom were Israelis.
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