Stories
Australia, Israel Probe Omani Co-Pilot's Links After Cockpit Attack on Indian Pilot
- •Authorities in Australia and Israel are investigating the background and international links of an Omani co-pilot accused of attacking an Indian pilot on a flydubai flight.
- •The Australian Federal Police launched a counterterrorism investigation into the co-pilot's links to Australia, where he lived from 2015 to 2017 on a student visa.
- •The UAE, leading the investigation, stated its probe revealed the co-pilot attempted a "terrorist act" by attacking the captain with a crash axe and trying to take control of the aircraft.
- •The co-pilot, identified by media as Hamam al-Hammami, was reportedly barred from flying in Oman due to radical ideological views and had his student visa cancelled in Australia in 2019.
- •The attack on Indian Captain Smit Machchhar led to an emergency descent and landing in Saudi Arabia, where al-Hammami was taken into custody; Captain Machchhar is in stable condition.
Key Questions Answered
On flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, an Omani co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. The injured captain managed to help passengers open the cockpit door so the attacker could be subdued, allowing two reserve pilots to land safely in Saudi Arabia.
Authorities in Australia and Israel are probing the co-pilot's background, international links, and how he became part of the flight crew after the UAE-led investigation classified the incident as a terrorist act. The Australian Federal Police launched a counterterrorism inquiry into his previous residency in Australia, while Israeli agencies like Shin Bet and Mossad are also investigating.
Media outlets identified the co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national who had worked for flydubai for about eight months. Reports indicated he had previously been barred from flying or removed from flight training in Oman due to concerns over radical ideological views, and he had studied aviation management in the UK.
