Co-Pilot's Attack on Flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv: Details Emerge
Incident Overview
File image of the flydubai aircraft making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia at Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel, on Wednesday. (Photo:PTI)
New York, Oct 3: Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, has been identified as the co-pilot who allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to sabotage a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, according to reports from US media.
According to the Wall Street Journal, al-Hammami had previously been prohibited from flying by Omani authorities due to his extremist views.
The report indicates that al-Hammami was born to an Omani father and a Syrian mother.
The United Arab Emirates, which is currently investigating the incident, stated that the co-pilot attempted to execute a "terrorist act".
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi revealed that the co-pilot used a crash axe to assault Machchhar and tried to seize control of the aircraft, as reported by the state-run WAM news agency.
During the flydubai flight FZ1073, al-Hammami stabbed Machchhar, who bravely fought back and managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to subdue the attacker.
The flight, which had 174 passengers on board, sent out emergency signals and descended rapidly from 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet before landing safely at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where al-Hammami was apprehended.
On Friday, Machchhar spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing the harrowing details of the attack and expressing his determination to protect others despite fighting for his own life.
He did not reveal the reasons behind the attack or the co-pilot's motives.
Currently receiving treatment in a UAE hospital, Machchhar has been praised as a "true hero" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.