The co-pilot who allegedly tried to hijack and bring down a flydubai plane carrying 180 passengers was previously banned from flying because of his views and opinions, it has emerged. The alleged attacker has been named as Hamam Al-Hamami.
Extremist views led to grounding
Al-Hamami trained as a pilot for Oman Air but was later transferred to an office job for having extremist views, sources said. Background checks into workers found that Al-Hamami had visited radical websites, and surveillance evidence obtained by the Omani Government meant he was taken off flying duties and instead given work behind a desk, it is reported.
It is claimed he also posted a video of El Al Israeli Airlines planes in Dubai with a photo at the end of the clip showing Ayman al-Zawahiri, a well-known al Qaeda leader who was killed in a US drone strike in 2022.
Move to Syria and UAE
Reports by local outlet ANI media suggest that, annoyed by his demotion, he then left Oman for Syria, where he was influenced by extremist ideas before travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is understood Al-Hamami was originally born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother and spent time in the Emirati kingdom, according to CNN.
The suspect had worked for flydubai for eight months before the incident after moving to Dubai. The same sources talking to CBS News claim flydubai hired him without vetting him with the Omani government. The Omani government has not publicly confirmed his nationality or identity.
In-cockpit struggle and rescue
The horror incident happened on Tuesday and saw the attacking co-pilot attack the number one in the cockpit, forcing a struggle between the pair. Hero captain Smit Machchhar helped save all 180 on board, saying he was never going to "let others die", and spoke about his terror for the first time on Friday.
Israeli officials claim the co-pilot was trying to crash the plane after steering the flydubai jet into a 700mph nosedive. Machchhar managed to stay alive and open the cockpit door so others could come in and help him. The "have a go heroes" managed to storm their way into the cockpit and help him overpower the attacker, saving them all from almost certain doom.
Al-Hamami remains in police custody and was transferred Thursday from Saudi Arabia to the UAE. He is said to be "co-operating" with authorities investigating the incident and has indicated his intent was to crash the aircraft in Israel, according to sources briefed on the investigation.
The captain has described the drama to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on a video call from his hospital bed in Saudi Arabia. He said: "I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside. Others came in and also played a role [in controlling the situation]. "I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die." The investigations continue.
