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UAE Seeks Death Penalty for Flydubai Co-Pilot Over Cockpit Terror Attack
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News18•05-10-2026, 09:55
UAE Seeks Death Penalty for Flydubai Co-Pilot Over Cockpit Terror Attack
- •The UAE is seeking the death penalty for Hamam al-Hammami, the flydubai co-pilot accused of a terrorist attack on Flight FZ1073.
- •Al-Hammami allegedly assaulted Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
- •The incident forced an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where passengers and crew helped overpower al-Hammami.
- •During questioning, al-Hammami reportedly stated he wanted to crash the aircraft and was not afraid of dying.
- •Investigators are probing whether al-Hammami acted alone, his potential extremist ties, and how he was hired by flydubai despite prior concerns at Oman Air regarding his interest in extremist websites.
Key Questions Answered
The United Arab Emirates is seeking the harshest possible punishment, which could potentially include the death penalty, for co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami following the cockpit attack on flydubai Flight FZ1073.
The Dubai-Tel Aviv flight carrying over 170 people made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly assaulted the captain with a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.
Hamam al-Hammami previously worked for Oman Air, where he was barred from flying due to an interest in extremist websites and placed in a deradicalisation program. He later sought employment elsewhere and joined flydubai in February.
