Report says flydubai co-pilot planned to crash aircraft near Ben Gurion Airport
Israeli media reports say a flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain during a flight to Tel Aviv intended to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. The flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after passengers and crew helped restrain him, and he was later transferred to the UAE.
A flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking his captain during a flight to Tel Aviv planned to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport, according to Israeli media reports cited by ABC News Australia. The reports identify the pilot as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. He allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar while the aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The flight carried 174 people and was later diverted to Saudi Arabia. Israeli news site Ynet, citing officials, reported that al-Hammami intended to fly normally before crashing into the airport. Channel 12 reportedly said he had also considered targeting a US military base in Jordan if he could not reach Israel.
The claims have not been independently verified in the supplied material. Passengers and crew helped resist the alleged attack. The aircraft descended nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the incident, according to the report.
A reserve flydubai pilot aboard the flight took control and landed it at Tabuk airport in north-western Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot before transferring him to the United Arab Emirates, where he is being interrogated. The UAE prosecutor general reportedly labelled the incident a terrorist attack.
The report also says al-Hammami had previously been suspended from flying by Oman Air after being identified as a security risk, although the supplied material does not provide further details of that claim. Investigators are examining possible Australian links because he studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017. The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police and ASIO, is investigating those links.
An AFP spokesperson said an update would be provided at an appropriate time. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and was suicidal. He ordered a review of security arrangements for foreign civil aviation to Israel, including the vetting of overseas airline crews.
This independently written report is based on information supplied by the named publisher. Vertrix News has not independently verified the source report.