Hamam al‑Hammami, a 29‑year‑old Omani first officer, was taken into custody in the United Arab Emirates after he struck the captain of flydubai Flight 1073 with a blunt object and tried to seize control of the aircraft bound for Tel Aviv. The captain, Smit Machchhar, fought back, sending distress signals that allowed the remaining crew to restrain al‑Hammami and steer the plane to a safe landing in Saudi Arabia.
Al‑Hammami had reportedly rehearsed the attack in July, targeting Ben Gurion Airport’s terminal or a jet on the tarmac, and had spent months gathering intelligence during earlier visits to Israel. His background includes online posts praising extremist groups and a stint in Syria during the civil war, leading Oman’s authorities to bar him from flying.
Investigators say the Omani pilot was cleared to fly despite being flagged for extremist views by his home country, and that flydubai failed to flag him as a risk. The UAE’s Transport Ministry cited a lack of mandatory crew screening for foreign airlines that operate routes to Israel.
The incident has prompted a joint probe by UAE and Israeli security agencies into the airline’s vetting procedures, with officials announcing a comprehensive review of passenger and crew screening protocols ahead of future flights to and from Tel Aviv.