Australia investigating Flydubai co-pilot's links to country

Australian authorities are investigating a Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The incident occurred on September 30, when the plane plummeted 17,000 feet before passengers took control. The co-pilot, who has been identified by multiple media outlets as Hamam al-Hammami, was arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities.

Australian Federal Police confirmed they are investigating the co-pilot's links to Australia, involving state police and the country's security agency. The co-pilot studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017, but his student visa was cancelled in 2019 as he was no longer enrolled in a course. Counter-terrorism officials will examine if the man was radicalised in Australia.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the co-pilot as an Omani national. The flight was carrying over 170 passengers to Israel. The pilot, Capt Smit Machchhar, and two reserve pilots safely landed the plane in Saudi Arabia after the attack. The UAE's attorney general stated that investigations revealed the co-pilot attempted a terrorist act.

The co-pilot was previously removed from flight training at Oman Air due to concerns over his radical views. He later studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK and graduated in 2023.