The flydubai co-pilot accused of trying to sabotage a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight and attacking Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar had reportedly been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about alleged extremist views, according to reports.
The co-pilot was identified as Hamam Alhammami, an Omani citizen born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to reports, Alhammami spent significant periods outside Oman, including in Syria, where he was allegedly exposed to extremist ideology.
BARRED FROM FLYING BY OMAN AIR
Alhammami was reportedly working as a trainee co-pilot with Oman Air in 2024 when he was found in possession of extremist material. Although he was permitted to remain with the airline in an administrative position, he was reportedly prohibited from flying after being considered a security risk.
He later joined flydubai, despite the reported flying restriction in Oman, and was able to operate the sensitive UAE-Israel route.
Reports have also alleged that Alhammami’s plan was to crash the aircraft in Israel.
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS UNDER SCRUTINY
CNN reported that Alhammami had been employed by flydubai for about eight months. A LinkedIn profile that has since been deleted reportedly showed that he had worked at Oman Air for seven years before leaving in February 2025.
He then reportedly joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and left in January this year before moving to flydubai.
The deleted profile allegedly posted two terror-related items within hours of the incident. One reportedly contained cockpit footage from a Boeing 737 Max and footage of an aircraft operated by Israeli airline El Al. The video allegedly ended with images of former al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a 2009 suicide bombing in Afghanistan that killed nine people.
Another post reportedly featured an AI-generated image of Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, considered Islam’s three holiest sites, accompanied by a poem about rejecting humiliation, embracing death and defending dignity.
CNN also reported that a deleted X account attributed to Alhammami portrayed him as deeply religious and misogynistic. The reports did not independently establish the authenticity or ownership of all the social media material.
ATTACK ON FLYDUBAI FLIGHT
The incident occurred earlier this week aboard a flydubai Boeing 737 carrying more than 170 passengers, including 24 children.
Alhammami allegedly attempted to sabotage the aircraft before attacking Captain Machchhar, who tried to stop him. The aircraft was cruising at approximately 34,000 feet when it reportedly began descending at around 23,000 feet per minute, reaching a low point of about 15,600 feet.
Despite being injured, Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and restrain the co-pilot.
Videos recorded inside the aircraft showed passengers in panic as the incident unfolded. Captain Machchhar was seen injured outside the cockpit, telling people that the co-pilot had attacked him.
Passengers near the front helped pull Alhammami away from the cockpit. Yaniv Hayoun, one of the passengers who intervened, reportedly grabbed the co-pilot and restrained him.
A dentist on board also provided emergency medical assistance to Captain Machchhar.
Two relief pilots who had been travelling in the rear of the aircraft then took control of the plane and diverted it to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. The aircraft landed safely.
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