The alleged Flydubai hijacker reportedly received pilot training in the UK, according to new revelations. Hamam al-Hammami, 29, is the pilot accused of attempting to commandeer a passenger aircraft destined for Israel.
It is understood that he was a student at one of the UK's largest flight schools between 2018 and 2019, as reported by The Telegraph. He is believed to have trained with L3 Airline Academy, a pilot-training firm with centres in England that has since merged into Acron Aviation.
Training locations and background
Hammami is thought to have trained at at least one of the company's English centres, which include major training facilities in Southampton and Bournemouth, as well as a simulator centre near Gatwick. The suspected hijacker is currently detained in Abu Dhabi following Wednesday's incident, which authorities have characterised as an attempted jihadist terror attack.
The co-pilot stands accused of assaulting the plane's pilot with an axe before brave crew members and passengers intervened. Israeli reports suggest Hammami intended to take control of the aircraft and crash it into a target in Tel Aviv, in a scheme reminiscent of the September 11 attacks.
New Zealand training and social media posts
It has also been confirmed that the pilot underwent some training in New Zealand. New Zealand authorities confirmed on Tuesday that Hammami had been issued a six-month student visa to complete flight training there between November 2018 and May 2019 "for a UK-based company no longer operating in New Zealand". Throughout this period, L3 Airline Academy delivered a training programme at a flying school in Hamilton.
A now-deleted social media profile thought to belong to Hammami, using the handle @PilotHamam and the name "Hamam Al Hammami", chronicled his training and experiences in Britain. Messages on the Twitter profile also referenced women being "stomped on" and receiving a "pre-emptive slap".
Company response and cooperation
In 2022 the aviator shared that he had "studied in Australia, Britain and New Zealand for five years". The identical message described his overseas study period as "the golden years of my religious commitment" while noting he became less devout upon returning to Oman. Additional posts on the profile recounted interactions with women in Britain where he endorsed rigid Islamic principles regarding marriage and attire.
Following the appalling incident, reports emerged that Oman Air had withdrawn Hammami from flight training due to worries about his extremist beliefs, subsequently moving him to a different position. There is no implication that the training school L3 Airline Academy or its successor companies, including Acron Aviation, are implicated in any wrongdoing and they are cooperating with authorities.
Acron Aviation refused to provide comment regarding Hammami's enrolment. A representative stated: "We were saddened to hear of this incident, and our thoughts are with everyone affected. As a matter of policy, we do not publicly comment on whether any individual is or has been a student with us. We will, of course, assist the relevant authorities, if necessary, in any way we can as they investigate this incident."
