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Omani co-pilot tried crashing Flydubai jet, authorities say

By Drooid · Oct 11, 2026, 6:06 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Hamam al-Hammami Attack

Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe on Flydubai Flight FZ1073.
He intended to crash the Boeing 737 into Ben Gurion Airport’s terminal, citing 9/11.
Captain Machchhar opened the cockpit door, letting passengers and crew restrain al-Hammami.
Two off-duty pilots took control and landed the jet in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia at 9:45 am.
Al-Hammami’s radicalisation began while studying in Australia in 2017.

Summary

Australian Agencies Launch Probe

UAE Attorney General Dr Hamad Saif al-Shamsi released investigation findings on government social media.
Al-Hammami prepared physically by training in boxing with a private coach.
Australian authorities launched a counter-terrorism investigation with the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO.
Archived X posts showed al-Hammami called his years abroad “the golden years of my religious commitment”.
The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team said investigations continue to verify his claim of acting alone.

History

Historical Context

On September 11 2001, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden directed 19 hijackers to crash four airliners into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania, killing 2,977 people. The FBI launched operation PENTTBOM within minutes, identifying the hijackers within 72 hours. That investigation and the attacks’ scale have driven ongoing vigilance, prompting suspects like Hamam al-Hammami to cite 9/11 when planning similar aircraft attacks.

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Hamam al-Hammami Attack

Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe on Flydubai Flight FZ1073.
He intended to crash the Boeing 737 into Ben Gurion Airport’s terminal, citing 9/11.
Captain Machchhar opened the cockpit door, letting passengers and crew restrain al-Hammami.
Two off-duty pilots took control and landed the jet in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia at 9:45 am.
Al-Hammami’s radicalisation began while studying in Australia in 2017.

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