Who is the mystery co-pilot behind the flydubai attack?
UAE authorities have classified the assault as an attempted "terrorist operation", while prosecutors in Abu Dhabi investigate al-Hammami's background, the circumstances of the attack and whether he acted alone or had links to extremist groups
The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a flydubai flight in mid-air has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national who was born in the United Arab Emirates to a Syrian mother and spent several years living in the Emirates.
UAE authorities have classified the assault as an attempted "terrorist operation", while prosecutors in Abu Dhabi investigate al-Hammami's background, the circumstances of the attack and whether he acted alone or had links to extremist groups, says Al Jazeera.
What happened on the flight?
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Flydubai Flight FZ1073 departed Dubai at 7:05 am on Wednesday, 1 October, bound for Tel Aviv with 174 people on board.
While the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was cruising at 34,000 feet, al-Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, inside the cockpit with the aircraft's emergency crash axe. He stabbed the captain in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft.
During the struggle, the aircraft plunged more than 17,000 feet in about two minutes.
Despite suffering severe injuries, Machchhar managed to reach and unlatch the cockpit door. Passengers and crew then rushed into the cockpit and overpowered al-Hammami.
Two reserve pilots who were on board took control of the aircraft. The plane landed safely at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia at 9:45 am.
The two pilots were hospitalised in Saudi Arabia before being cleared and transferred to Abu Dhabi.
Who is Hamam al-Hammami?
Diplomatic sources and reports identified the accused co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national born in the UAE to a Syrian mother.
He completed a distance-learning degree course in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. The university confirmed that he did not undergo pilot training at its facility.
According to a LinkedIn profile bearing his name, al-Hammami worked for Oman Air for seven years before leaving in February 2025. He then worked for Royal Air Maroc from June 2025 until January 2026.
Were there previous warning signs?
Omani authorities had previously barred al-Hammami from flying in Oman because of concerns over alleged extremist views.
Sources also said he had previously been removed from flight training over similar concerns and reassigned to a different role.
It remains unclear whether Omani authorities formally shared those concerns with other airlines or governments.
What are UAE authorities investigating?
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi categorised the assault as an attempted "terrorist operation".
Abu Dhabi prosecutors are examining physical and digital evidence as they seek to establish whether al-Hammami acted as a "lone wolf" or had connections to extremist groups.
The UAE maintains jurisdiction over the case because the aircraft is registered under the UAE flag.
Flydubai flights to Israel remain suspended while investigations continue.
