Hyderabad, Oct. 3: The Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight has been identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami.
The identification was reported by several media outlets, citing media, Israeli officials and Saudi state media. The Wall Street Journal separately reported that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his ideological views.
The incident occurred aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday. The aircraft was carrying 174 people when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar inside the cockpit and interfered with the aircraft’s controls.
Flydubai Co-Pilot | Indian Captain Fought Back During Mid-Air Attack
Machchhar was seriously injured during the attack but managed to fight back and open the cockpit door.
Passengers and crew then entered the cockpit and helped overpower the attacker. The aircraft had descended more than 17,000 feet from an altitude of about 34,000 feet before the situation was brought under control. It subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
Al-Hammami was taken into custody and is now in the UAE as authorities investigate the incident. The UAE has opened an investigation into whether the attack was connected to terrorist activity.
The media reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Omani authorities had previously barred al-Hammami from flying because of concerns about his radical ideological views. It said it was unclear whether those concerns had been shared with other countries or airlines.
The Indian Express, citing ABC News, reported that al-Hammami had been removed from flight training at Oman Air in 2024 following concerns about his views. It also reported that he later worked with other aviation companies before joining Flydubai.
Al-Hammami was born to an Omani father and Syrian mother, according to reports. His identity and background are now part of the investigation into how he was cleared to work as a commercial airline pilot.
Machchhar later spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by phone and described how he fought to regain control of the aircraft. He said he was fighting for his life but was determined not to allow other passengers to die.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised Machchhar for his actions during the incident. The Indian captain remains under medical care while the investigation continues.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
