Full Breakdown
Omani Co-pilot’s Extremist Posts Linked to Attempted Flydubai Hijacking
By Drooid · · How we work
The Attempted Hijacking
During a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami, 29, attacked the aircraft’s captain, Smit Machchhar, with a crash axe in the cockpit. The assault was intended to seize control of the plane, which was carrying 182 passengers and crew. Passengers intervened and restrained al-Hammami, preventing the aircraft from being brought down.
Extremist Online Activity
Investigators examined more than 2,000 posts made between November 2021 and August 2022 on the X platform by an account identified as “Pilot Hamam al-Hammami.” The posts repeatedly advocated violence against women, describing scenarios in which a man would “stomp on her head” or “make her life miserable.” The same account also shared antisemitic content, praising the killing of Jews and calling for severe Islamic punishments against Jews and homosexuals. One post juxtaposed a video of Israeli airline jets with images of a suicide bomber and al-Qaeda leaders. The content was characterized by officials as reflecting a radicalized jihadist ideology.
Employment History and Institutional Responses
Al-Hammami had previously served as a senior first officer for Oman’s national airline, where he was removed from flight duties after concerns about his extremist views surfaced. Despite that, Flydubai later hired him to operate the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv route. While studying aviation management remotely at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) in the United Kingdom, al-Hammami’s enrollment continued without incident. Following the hijacking attempt, BNU’s license to sponsor international students was suspended by the British government for reasons unrelated to al-Hammami, and the university announced a review of his course.
Official Reactions
Flydubai and aviation authorities opened investigations into the security breach and the hiring procedures that allowed an individual with a known extremist background to serve as a co-pilot.
Impact and Ongoing Review
The incident has prompted calls for tighter vetting of airline crew members and closer monitoring of remote-learning students whose online behavior may indicate extremist tendencies. Authorities are reviewing airline recruitment policies and university oversight mechanisms to prevent similar threats to aviation safety.