UAE says FlyDubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe in “terrorist” act
The FlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed the Tel-Aviv bound flight is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami. He was barred from flying by Oman amid concerns he showed signs of extremist views. The incident threw the already hard-hit regional travel industry into crisis.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) prosecutor general has stated that a co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv attempted to carry out a "terrorist attack" by using a crash axe against the captain. The incident occurred on Saturday and the investigation is ongoing to uncover the motives and related connections. The co-pilot, an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, was banned from flying by Oman due to concerns about his radical ideological views.
He was later hired by FlyDubai, a UAE-based airline. The extent of his vetting process when hired is unclear. The co-pilot was born in the UAE and worked for Oman's national airline before being moved to an administrative position due to his extremist views. His Instagram account was active until the day of the flight and then deleted.
The whereabouts of the co-pilot and how he managed to be in the cockpit on Wednesday morning are central questions for investigators. The Israeli government claims the co-pilot has undergone "Islamist radicalization," but has provided no evidence. Israel and the UAE have agreed to repatriate all passengers following the incident.
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Also reported by 3 other outlets
- Flydubai flight FZ1073 co-pilot attacked Indian captain with an axe, UAE probe finds indianexpress.com
- Flydubai co-pilot tried to carry out ‘terrorist act’, attacked captain with cockpit axe, UAE says malaymail.com
- flydubai Co-Pilot Attacked Pilot With Cockpit's Crash Axe In 'Terrorist Attack': UAE ndtv.com
