Emulating 9/11 Attacks: Flydubai Co-pilot Intended to Crash Plane into Building
A co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack a Flydubai aircraft reportedly planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv or into a skyscraper in the Israeli city, according to US and Israeli media reports.
According to the reports, the Omani national was an extremist acting as a ‘lone wolf’. The Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates stated that the co-pilot attempted to carry out an ‘act of terrorism’ during flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv last Wednesday. He attacked and injured the captain using an emergency axe stored in the cockpit, before eventually being subdued by passengers. Other crew members travelling as passengers on the flight subsequently managed to land the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.
The Israeli Prime Minister stated that the co-pilot had undergone ‘radical Islamist indoctrination’, and noted that the captain, passengers, and second crew member successfully prevented a ‘disaster like 9/11’. Further details regarding the Flydubai co-pilot, identified in several reports as Hamam al-Hammami, emerged over the weekend while he remains under investigation in the United Arab Emirates. Israeli representatives continue to receive updates regarding the investigation.
Israeli media, citing sources familiar with the investigation, stated that the co-pilot confessed to investigators that after attacking Captain Smit Machchhar, he intended to continue flying the aircraft as usual until entering Israeli airspace and receiving landing clearance from Ben Gurion Airport. According to the reports, he then planned to crash the Boeing 737 MAX, carrying over 180 passengers, into the airport or a skyscraper in central Tel Aviv, mimicking the al-Qaeda attacks on 11 September 2001 in the United States. Sources stated the co-pilot likely acted alone, rather than on behalf of a radical organisation or a foreign government.
The co-pilot also reportedly told investigators that he had previously intended to hijack and crash a plane on another flight to Tel Aviv, but abandoned the plan because he knew someone on board. There has been no direct response yet from the authorities in the United Arab Emirates or Israel. UAE Attorney General Hamad al-Shamsi stated on Saturday that the country’s investigation will thoroughly uncover the chronology of events, the motive, and any potential links to other parties in the incident. The results of the investigation will be announced once the process is complete.
The co-pilot, who attempted to take control of the Flydubai flight, attacked the pilot with an emergency axe, according to the UAE Attorney General. The aircraft, flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with over 170 people on board, descended approximately 17,000 feet (5,200 metres) two and a half hours after takeoff. Passengers then managed to overpower the perpetrator and take control of the situation inside the aircraft.
Captain Smit Machchhar stated he was lying on the floor injured when he realised the aircraft was losing altitude and knew he had to act. ‘I told myself to make one last attempt to open the door from the inside,’ he said. This action allowed passengers to enter the cockpit. Two relief pilots then flew the aircraft and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia. The emergency axe is typically stored in the cockpit for use in emergencies.
The Indian government praised Captain Smit Machchhar for his ‘extraordinary bravery’ in facing the attack. The weapon used in the attack remains a key question for investigators, given the strict security on this route. Initial reports from some passengers suggested the weapon used might have been a knife.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot is an Omani national. While several media outlets, including Reuters, CNN, and The New York Times, have identified the co-pilot as Hamam al-Hammami, there has been no official confirmation of his identity. During his time working for another airline, Oman Air, US media reported that Al-Hammami was dismissed from flight training due to concerns regarding his radical views, though he was later given another position within the national carrier.
Australian authorities confirmed on Sunday they are investigating Al-Hammami’s links to Australia, though no details were provided. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that he held a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia between 2015 and 2017. His student visa was cancelled in 2019 because he was not enrolled in an educational programme at that time. Counter-terrorism officials will investigate whether the man underwent radicalisation in Australia. He later completed a distance learning programme at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK, graduating with a degree in flight management in 2023. The university added that he did not undergo pilot training there. In an interview with Fox News, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that after the perpetrator was subdued, he shouted to the crew: ‘Kill me, kill me!’