Full Breakdown
Omani Co-Pilot’s Attempted Suicide Attack on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 30 a Flydubai Boeing 737-MAX-8 operating Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv was hijacked from within the cockpit. The 29-year-old Omani first officer, Hamam al-Hammami, struck the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, with the aircraft’s emergency crash axe and tried to seize control to crash into Ben Gurion Airport’s terminal. The plane plunged roughly 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds before the captain opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker. Two off-duty pilots regained control and executed an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in north-western Saudi Arabia.
Background & Context
UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif al-Shamsi said al-Hammami’s radicalisation began in 2017 while studying in Melbourne, where he was exposed to “takfiri” ideology. Al-Hammami confessed that the 9/11 attacks inspired him to pursue aviation as a means of replicating a similar operation. He worked for Oman Air (2020-2024), briefly for Royal Air Maroc in 2025, and joined Flydubai in January 2026. The incident follows the 2020 Abraham Accords, which increased flights between the UAE and Israel and raised questions about crew vetting.
Timeline
- September 30 – Hijack attempt on Flight FZ1073; emergency landing in Tabuk.
- October 1 – UAE public prosecutors launch a formal inquiry.
- October 9, 2026 – Attorney-General al-Shamsi releases a statement confirming the plot and al-Hammami’s confession.
Data & Statistics
Sources differ on the passenger count: New Yorker and Reuters cite 174, Al Jazeera and CNN note 170, while France 24 reports 182. All agree the majority were Israeli. Flight-tracking data recorded a descent of more than 16,000 feet within roughly 30 seconds.
Official Statements & Responses
- Benjamin Netanyahu praised the passengers and captain for averting a mass-casualty event and announced a comprehensive security review.
- Flydubai said the co-pilot met all professional and security requirements at hiring and no prior extremist indicators were detected.
- Israeli security officials confirmed the co-pilot acted alone but are examining crew conduct during the flight.
Criticism & Opposition
Passenger Asaf Rajuan (Jerusalem Post) questioned the conduct of two flight attendants, alleging they behaved “strangely” and may have facilitated the attacker’s restraints. Israeli authorities have so far found no evidence of crew involvement.
On-the-Ground Reports
Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, a plumber, recounted grabbing the yoke and pulling back hard to stabilise the aircraft after the captain opened the door. He later told Prime Minister Netanyahu that his actions were inspired by the TV series “Air Crash Investigation.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Passenger counts vary between 170, 174, and 182.
- Altitude loss is reported as 14,000-16,000 feet or a 17,000-foot plunge.
- The exact sequence of cockpit entry—whether the off-duty pilot used an access code or the captain opened the door—remains disputed.
- Investigators have not confirmed whether al-Hammami received external assistance.
What’s Next
The UAE prosecutor’s office continues to examine al-Hammami’s contacts and possible accomplices. Israel’s security council is expected to publish revised guidelines for foreign airlines operating to Ben Gurion. Passengers are moving forward with a class-action suit that could seek hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. The UAE has indicated that any eventual penalty for al-Hammami will be “extremely severe,” though formal charges have not yet been announced.