Who Is Hamam Al Hammami? FlyDubai Co-Pilot Alleged Attacker ID'd: Reports
The co-pilot in the FlyDubai attack has been identified by outlets as Hamam Al Hammami, an Omani national.
An Omani national named Hamam Al Hammami, aged 29, is the co-pilot accused of assaulting the captain of a FlyDubai flight en route to Israel, according to reports. Al Hammami, born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother, had previously faced aviation security concerns, including being barred from flying due to extremist views, as reported by multiple media outlets.
He was initially suspended from flying by Oman Air for being deemed a security risk, but later employed by FlyDubai, where within months he allegedly attacked the captain, causing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia, according to ABC News citing intelligence sources. The incident took place on FlyDubai Flight FZ1073, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the assault occurred.
The aircraft ultimately landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after passengers and crew restrained the attacker, with the captain, Smit Machchhar, being transferred to the UAE for treatment. The suspect is being questioned by investigators, with suggestions he had undergone "Islamist radicalization" as reported by Newsweek, although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not provided evidence to substantiate this claim.
The attack has disrupted travel between Israel and the UAE, leading to the cancellation of Emirates flights and the repatriation of stranded passengers.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
