New York, Oct. 3 -- An Omani citizen, Hamam al-Hammami, has been identified as the flydubai co-pilot who attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and allegedly attempted to take control of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight this week, according to media reports.
Al-Hammami was reportedly previously barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his radical ideological views, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, quoting people familiar with the matter.
On flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, he attacked Machchhar with a crash axe, typically kept in the cockpit for use in emergencies, seriously injuring him.
The motive for the attack remains unclear.
The flight, carrying 174 passengers, transmitted emergency signals and made a rapid descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet.
The captain was lying injured on the cockpit floor when he realised the plane was descending and decided to make "one last push" to open the cockpit door, according to the BBC.
This enabled passengers to overpower the attacker, after which two reserve pilots landed the aircraft safely at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Saudi Arabia's Tabuk city, where al-Hammami was taken into custody.
The UAE, which is leading the investigation, said on Saturday that its investigation had revealed the co-pilot attempted to carry out a "terrorist act".
Several other news publications, including CNN, identified al-Hammami by name, although his identity has not been officially confirmed.
"The alleged attacker is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami," the WSJ report said.
CNN, citing two sources and an Israeli official, also identified the pilot as Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami. He was born in the UAE to an Omani father and a Syrian mother and has spent several years of his life in the UAE.
CNN cited another source, a regional diplomat, saying al-Hammami was removed from flight training because of concerns over his radical views and was subsequently given another role at Oman's national airline.
It was not immediately clear to what extent he was vetted before being hired by UAE-based airline flydubai. News reports citing sources said he had been working for the airline for about eight months.
Al-Hammami completed a three-year distance-learning course in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK and graduated in 2023, the BBC reported, quoting the university. The university said he did not undergo any pilot training at the institution.
The UAE, which is leading the investigation, said on Saturday that its investigation had revealed the co-pilot attempted to carry out a "terrorist act".
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot attacked the captain inside the flight deck with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
He said investigations were continuing to establish the full circumstances, motives and any links related to the incident.
On Friday, Machchhar, who is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the UAE, spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone, recounting the terrifying moments after being attacked. He said he was fighting for his life but was determined not to let others die.
The pilot is in stable condition and he is "recovering well", the Indian Embassy in the UAE said in a social media statement on Saturday. "We are in touch with his family and local authorities, extending support for a speedy recovery. Our thanks to UAE gov. for their care. We join well-wishers in praying for his good health."
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Saturday visited Machchhar in hospital and praised the Indian pilot for his courage and sense of responsibility.
Hamdan, who is also the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said the flydubai pilot had "embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life."
"From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise," he said. "We are proud that he is part of our team. part of the story of our nation. and part of what the UAE stands for. a nation of compassion. a nation of peace. and a nation of life."
Machchhar has been hailed as a "true hero" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In an interview with CNN on Wednesday evening, Netanyahu said the injured pilot, passengers and other crew members had "managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster".
Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Netanyahu said the attacker shouted "Kill me, kill me!" after being subdued on the flight.
Netanyahu said the remark suggested the attacker was suicidal and that it appeared he had intended to bring down the plane. He also said the attacker had "undergone Islamist radical indoctrination".
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Thursday that an Israeli woman, Tali Manes, raised the alarm after hearing a commotion from the cockpit. Her husband and three other men then entered the cockpit after Machchhar managed to open the door despite his injuries, BBC reported.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.