The FlyDubai co-pilot accused of stabbing the captain with an axe in an alleged hijack attempt studied at a UK university and had been banned by Oman on security grounds.
Hammam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national, is accused of attacking the captain on the flight deck, causing the plane to enter a sudden dive. He had previously been flagged for holding radical views.
Background and training
Al-Hammami trained at his country's flag carrier in 2024, but was moved to an administrative role after being found in possession of extremist materials, according to ABC News. He reportedly completed a distance-learning degree in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in 2023.
Flight 1073 was bound for Tel Aviv in Israel when it was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia due to the onboard altercation.
Incident details
The plane landed safely thanks to the intervention of two off-duty pilots travelling on the flight, who helped Indian captain Smit Machchhar regain control of the aircraft. An anonymous Gulf diplomat confirmed al-Hammami's identity as the co-pilot on the flight deck. They added that an inquiry is ongoing to ascertain whether he acted as a 'lone wolf or has any connection with any extremist groups'.
Officials say the banned pilot had come close to crashing the aircraft, which was carrying 182 people. A flight attendant walked onto the flight deck to find blood splattered on the walls, before the plane dived 16,000ft in the space of a minute.
Aftermath and response
Speaking from hospital, Mr Machchhar told Indian prime minister Narendra Modi he could feel the plane was going down as he was on the floor wounded. He said his desire to save the flight forced him to make one 'last push' for the door and allow a group into the cockpit.
FlyDubai has since suspended all operations to Israel's Ben Gurion airport. Its CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, said: 'On behalf of everyone at flydubai, I extend my sincere thanks to the authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for their swift and professional response. I also thank the UAE authorities and relevant stakeholders for their support in helping our customers and crew return home.'
'At the request of the authorities, we have temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice. Our teams are working around the clock to support disrupted passengers and help them reach their final destinations.'
'I know there are many questions about what happened on board FZ 1073. A full official investigation, led by the relevant authorities and fully supported by flydubai, is underway. It is important that we allow this process to establish the facts.'
'We are deeply grateful that everyone on board FZ 1073 is safe, and for the continued support of our customers, our people and our industry partners.'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the incident was a result of 'Islamist radicalisation'.
