FlyDubai co-pilot who attacked captain had been dismissed by Oman Air for extremism
The co-pilot suspected of attacking the captain of a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv is an Omani citizen previously dismissed for extremist views. The UAE public prosecutor has characterised the incident as an attempted terrorist act.
FlyDubai co-pilot identified: dismissed by Oman Air due to radical views
Jurnalul.ro reports that new details have emerged about the identity and background of the co-pilot suspected of attacking the captain of FlyDubai flight Dubai–Tel Aviv, which occurred on Wednesday.
The suspect has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen, according to two sources familiar with the situation, cited by CNN, and an Israeli official. He was born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and a Syrian mother, and lived for several years in the UAE.
A LinkedIn profile corresponding to the suspect's name indicated that al-Hammami worked at Oman Air for seven years, leaving the company in February 2025. This was followed by a brief period at Royal Air Maroc, from June 2025 to January 2026. The profile was subsequently deleted, but one of the sources confirmed to CNN that it belonged to the FlyDubai pilot involved in the incident.
The second source specified that the suspect had been excluded from the flight training programme at the national airline of Oman due to concerns about his radical views, and was instead assigned an administrative position.
Axe attack in the cockpit
The FlyDubai aircraft was carrying approximately 180 passengers when it transmitted an emergency code on Wednesday associated with a possible hijacking. The aircraft was diverted and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, where authorities intervened to clarify the situation.
On Saturday, the public prosecutor of the United Arab Emirates announced, cited by the state agency WAM, that the suspect allegedly attempted to commit a "terrorist act": he attacked the captain with the emergency axe from the cockpit and attempted to take control of the aircraft, according to Al Jazeera.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates continue to investigate the incident to establish the exact circumstances and motives of the attack.
Source: Jurnalul.ro