{
  "id": 11607584,
  "title": "Flydubai plane attack: co-pilot previously barred from flying by Oman over extremist views",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-plane-attack-co-pilot-previously-barred-from-flying-by-oman",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T04:53:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3369644/flydubai-plane-attack-co-pilot-previously-barred-flying-oman-over-extremist-views"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 182 people on board was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing after the co-pilot attacked the captain. The captain, Smit Machchhar, was seriously injured but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.\n\nThe co-pilot, identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, had previously been barred from flying by Oman over concerns about his extremist views, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter. He was subsequently hired by Flydubai. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect had undergone \"Islamist radical indoctrination\" and had attempted to crash the plane.\n\nThe incident has raised questions about background checks in aviation hiring. The co-pilot was removed from a job at Oman's national airline last year over concerns about extremist views, according to CNN, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Al Arabiya reported that Omani authorities determined that the co-pilot held extremist views and had spent time in Syria.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "flydubai Co-Pilot Was Banned By Oman From Flying Over Extremist Views: Report",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-was-banned-by-oman-from-flying-over-extremist-views",
        "published": "2026-10-03T01:51:16.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Flying ban in Oman, spent time in Syria, held ‘radical views’: What we know about flydubai co-pilot",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flying-ban-in-oman-spent-time-in-syria-held-radical-views-what-we",
        "published": "2026-10-03T02:22:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "How did he get back in the cockpit? Flydubai co-pilot accused of mid-air attack was previously banned in Oman",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/how-did-he-get-back-in-the-cockpit-flydubai-co-pilot-accused-of-mid",
        "published": "2026-10-03T04:17:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot 'attacked pilot with axe in suspected terrorist attack', UAE says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-pilot-with-axe-in-suspected-terrorist",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:07:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot stabbed captain with crash axe in ‘terrorist’ attack: UAE",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-stabbed-captain-with-crash-axe-in-terrorist-attack",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:16:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Co-pilot in FlyDubai attack is identified, and other Mideast developments",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/co-pilot-in-flydubai-attack-is-identified-and-other-mideast",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:19:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe, says UAE",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-pilot-with-axe-says-uae",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:34:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "UAE says flydubai co-pilot attempted ‘terrorist act’ on Israel-bound flight",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/uae-says-flydubai-co-pilot-attempted-terrorist-act-on-israel-bound",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:40:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe, attempted 'terrorist' attack, UAE says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/flydubai-co-pilot-attacked-pilot-with-axe-attempted-terrorist-attack",
        "published": "2026-10-03T06:58:46.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}