Who is ‘Hamam al Hamami’? What we know about FlyDubai co-pilot who stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, tried to crash plane

FlyDubai cockpit attack raises urgent questions over co-pilot’s background and motive

Theindiapostdaily.com – A FlyDubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after an alleged attack inside the cockpit on Wednesday. The co-pilot is accused of stabbing Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, and then attempting to bring down the aircraft.

The flight was diverted to Tabuk after passengers, aided by two off-duty pilots on board, helped stop the co-pilot and regain control of the aircraft. The episode has prompted scrutiny of the suspect’s professional history, alleged exposure to extremist material and the unanswered question of what led to the confrontation.

How the emergency unfolded

Captain Machchhar was able to resist the alleged attacker long enough to open the cockpit door. Passengers then intervened and restrained the co-pilot, while the two pilots travelling off duty took over the aircraft’s operation. Their actions allowed the plane to land safely in Tabuk rather than continue toward its planned destination.

The incident underlines the importance of cockpit security procedures and the role passengers and trained crew can play during an in-flight emergency. It also highlights the pressure on airlines to identify potential security concerns before pilots are placed in operational roles.

Identity linked to Hamam al Hamami

The co-pilot has not been formally identified in public by authorities. However, people familiar with the investigation have named him as Hamam al Hamami.

Al Hamami is described as an Omani citizen who was born outside Oman and spent much of his life abroad. His mother is Syrian and his father is Omani. The Omani government has not publicly confirmed his nationality.

Questions have also been raised over whether he may hold a second nationality. That possibility has been cited as a potential explanation for how he was able to operate a flight to Israel, though no official confirmation of dual citizenship has been made public.

Earlier employment and security concerns

Before joining FlyDubai, al Hamami reportedly spent a brief period with Oman Air, where he entered pilot training. Omani government surveillance is said to have found that he had been visiting radical websites. He was subsequently moved from pilot training to an office role.

He later resigned after being assigned desk duties and left Oman Air around 2024. Another account places his removal from the national carrier last year, following concerns about extremist views. In both versions, he was not allowed to continue his previous pilot-training path and was given a different role within the airline.

People familiar with the matter have said that al Hamami spent substantial time outside Oman, particularly in Syria, before moving to the United Arab Emirates. They say he was influenced by extremist ideology during that period.

A video attributed to al Hamami reportedly showed El Al Israeli Airlines aircraft in Dubai. The video ended with an image of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al Qaeda leader killed in a US drone strike in 2022. The material has become part of the broader examination of the suspect’s alleged beliefs and online activity.

FlyDubai hired al Hamami after he moved to Dubai. Questions surrounding the recruitment process have focused on whether relevant information from Oman was available or shared before he was employed. There has been no public finding that establishes what vetting information FlyDubai had when he was hired.

What is known about the alleged motive

The motive for the alleged attack has not been established. Investigators are examining whether the incident was an isolated act, a suicide attempt or part of a wider plan.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the developing evidence pointed toward Islamist radicalisation and an intention to destroy the aircraft with everyone on board.

“As time passes, the picture is becoming clearer; the attacker underwent Islamist radicalisation. He came to crash the plane with its passengers.”

Netanyahu also said authorities were looking into whether anyone had directed the alleged attacker to act.

“We are investigating whether he was dispatched, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price,”

He later described the event as appearing to be a suicide attempt. Witness accounts cited by Netanyahu said the co-pilot tried to interfere with the plane’s equipment rather than help stabilise it. After he was restrained, Netanyahu said, the suspect shouted for someone to kill him.

International response and ongoing investigation

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that investigators were examining a possible connection to Iran. He stressed that the matter remained under review while officials continued gathering information.

“We’re working on it right now. They’re being very open with us. I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes. But we’re working on it right now.”

No public evidence has yet established an Iranian link, and the inquiry remains active. The same is true of the central questions surrounding the alleged attacker’s intent, possible contacts and access to the cockpit.

Following the incident, al Hamami was barred from flying in Oman because of security concerns. The restriction adds to the attention on his earlier career history and on the safeguards used by airlines and regulators when assessing pilots.

For passengers, the Tabuk landing marked the end of an extraordinary emergency in which the captain, fellow aviators and people in the cabin acted together to prevent a potentially catastrophic outcome. For investigators, it has opened a complex cross-border inquiry involving aviation security, employment screening, radicalisation concerns and the circumstances that preceded the alleged cockpit attack.