Omani co‑pilot Hamam al‑Hammami was arrested in Abu Dhabi after a suspected hijack attempt on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that carried 182 passengers and crew. The incident unfolded last week, with flight captain Smit Machchhar opening the cockpit door just in time to allow passengers to restrain the co‑pilot before the aircraft descended sharply.
According to the investigation, al‑Hammami had been in the cockpit for only a few minutes before the co‑pilot struck the captain and shouted threats that nearly derailed the plane. The captain’s quick action prevented a catastrophic loss of life, but the cockpit’s sudden drop left several passengers injured and the flight diverted to the nearest airport.
A separate probe by The Telegraph uncovered more than 2,000 posts on an X account linked to al‑Hammami that glorified violence against women, called for Islamic punishments, and praised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The posts, dated between November 2021 and August 2022, included threats such as “I’d stomp on your head” and calls for execution of blackmailers.
The Omani national’s history with the posts surfaced after the flight incident, prompting the UK Home Office to suspend Buckinghamshire New University’s licence to sponsor international students. The university said the suspension stemmed from earlier compliance concerns, not the alleged hijack, but the timing has raised questions about the safety of its overseas programs.
An Israeli official told the Times of Israel that the social media account “clearly shows he has been radicalised into jihadist ideology” and that the posts included references to killing Jews. The statement adds an international security dimension to the case and may influence how UAE authorities pursue the charges.
Al‑Hammami now faces charges of attempted hijacking under UAE aviation security law. Flydubai has pledged full cooperation with investigators, and a court hearing is scheduled for June 12, 2026, where the pilot’s future will be decided.