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UAE shared passenger-crew list with Israel, so how did co-pilot escape notice? Questions raised.
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News18•04-10-2026, 22:06
UAE shared passenger-crew list with Israel, so how did co-pilot escape notice? Questions raised.
- •UAE authorities shared the list of passengers and crew of the Flydubai flight with Israel, where a co-pilot attempted to take control.
- •Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami was previously prevented from flying by his own country due to radical views.
- •The co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machhar with an 'axe' in the cockpit and tried to seize control of the plane.
- •Australian and Israeli authorities are investigating the Omani co-pilot's connections to Australia.
- •The co-pilot was issued a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017.
Key Questions Answered
The Omani co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, attacked the Indian captain, Smit Machhar, with an emergency axe kept in the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
Yes, UAE authorities shared the complete list of passengers and crew members, including their nationalities, with Israel prior to the flight.
The Australian Federal Police and counter-terrorism teams are investigating the co-pilot's past connections to Australia, where he previously held a student visa between 2015 and 2017 before it was canceled in 2019.
