The United Arab Emirates says an Omani co-pilot for flydubai planned to hijack a passenger flight bound for Tel Aviv and crash it into a terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack on September 30. The plan was allegedly stopped after the co-pilot attacked the aircraft’s captain while the plane was flying over Saudi Arabia.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif al Shamsi disclosed details of the alleged plot on Friday, October 9, describing findings from a criminal investigation launched the day after the incident.
According to the attorney general’s statement, the suspect had previously taken two flights to Tel Aviv to familiarize himself with the route and airport. Investigators believe the plan was inspired by the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States.
The incident occurred while the aircraft was in Saudi airspace. Prosecutors said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe normally kept in the cockpit for emergencies.
The confrontation reportedly caused the aircraft to plunge approximately 4,900 meters, or 16,000 feet, in just 30 seconds. The suspect was eventually overpowered, and two other pilots who were aboard the aircraft managed to land it safely in Saudi Arabia.
The suspect was subsequently transferred to the UAE, where flydubai is based.
INVESTIGATION FINDS NO REPORTED WARNING SIGNS IN HIRING PROCESS
The UAE attorney general said investigators reviewed flydubai’s recruitment procedures and found that the suspect had met the airline’s professional and security requirements, including holding a pilot’s license and submitting a certificate of good conduct.
However, authorities said the screening process did not reveal indications of extremist views or an intention to carry out a terrorist attack.
The 29-year-old suspect had worked for airlines in several countries, including Oman Air, before joining flydubai in January 2026.
Investigators reportedly traced signs of what they described as a shift toward extremism as far back as 2017, when the suspect was studying in Australia.
Royal Air Maroc previously confirmed that the man underwent three months of training with the airline in 2025. However, his application to work there afterward was rejected.
UAE authorities have not publicly identified the suspect. Reuters, citing a person with direct knowledge of the case, identified him as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national.
According to the attorney general, the suspect told investigators that he had prepared mentally and physically for the alleged attack by viewing material promoting terrorism and taking boxing lessons.
SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES SEPARATE SAFETY INVESTIGATION
Saudi Arabia has opened a separate aviation safety investigation into flydubai flight FZ1073, according to sources cited by Reuters.
The case has raised questions about how an alleged plot could go undetected despite the suspect’s professional qualifications and the airline’s recruitment checks.
Flydubai had not immediately commented on the allegations as of the Reuters report.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities examine the circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation and the alleged plan targeting the flight.
