flydubai co-pilot reportedly planned attack before hire

Investigators believe the flydubai co-pilot suspected of trying to crash a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight had originally planned an attack for July, then postponed it, possibly because a friend was among the crew, according to The Guardian. The reported findings shift attention beyond the cockpit struggle to whether the alleged attacker deliberately sought an airline job that would give him access to Israel-bound flights.

The Guardian’s Oct. 5 report identified the suspect as Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. Israeli media, citing statements attributed to him during interrogation, reported that he intended to crash into Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, or possibly another nearby high-profile target.

Separately, Reuters reported that two Israeli officials with knowledge of the investigation said the co-pilot told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before flydubai hired him. Those accounts are based on sources describing an ongoing investigation.

Reports point to planning before the flydubai attack

According to Reuters, the two Israeli officials said the co-pilot sought a flydubai job after searching for airlines that flew to Tel Aviv. A separate third source briefed on the UAE investigation said he planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport. That source also said he had operated an earlier Tel Aviv flight this year and had intended to hijack and crash it, but opted not to carry out the attack.

The Guardian’s account places the earlier alleged plan in July. Reuters reported that the reason for abandoning the earlier attack plan was unclear, although its source said the co-pilot was thought to have known someone aboard. The reports support a line of inquiry into prior planning without settling why he did not act on the earlier flight.

All the sources discussing those findings with Reuters spoke anonymously. UAE and Israeli authorities and flydubai did not immediately respond to the news agency’s requests for comment.

How flight FZ1073 reached Saudi Arabia safely

The attack occurred aboard flight FZ1073 on Sept. 30. According to Reuters’ initial report, Israeli officials said passengers and crew overpowered the co-pilot after he attacked the captain and the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.

The Guardian reported that Hammami allegedly used an emergency crash axe kept in the cockpit to attack Capt. Smit Machchhar approximately two hours and 20 minutes after takeoff. Despite his injuries, Machchhar unlocked the cockpit’s security door, allowing passengers to enter and overpower the co-pilot.

A reserve flydubai pilot aboard the aircraft took control and landed in northwestern Saudi Arabia, according to The Guardian. Reuters identified the diversion airport as Tabuk. Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot; The Guardian reported that he was subsequently transferred to UAE custody.

The passengers reached Ben Gurion Airport aboard a replacement flydubai aircraft more than 10 hours later, Reuters reported. That account establishes the immediate operational outcome: the aircraft diverted safely, and passengers completed their journey on another plane.

Reuters’ report on the investigation said the UAE prosecutor general had characterized the incident as a terrorist attack. At the time of that report, the UAE had not announced formal charges, and whether the suspect had legal counsel was unknown. Reuters also noted that UAE authorities and flydubai had not publicly disclosed his identity and that it had been unable to reach him for comment.

Pilot hiring and screening come under scrutiny

The Guardian reported that Hammami was thought to have worked for Oman Air from 2018 to June 2025. According to its account, he left after being moved to a desk job over concerns that he had developed extremist views. That employment history and the reported reasons for the reassignment remain qualified claims.

The same report said Royal Air Maroc subsequently hired him, but he did not obtain permission to fly and left the job. He then joined flydubai. Citing officials, The Guardian reported that flydubai checked for a criminal record but did not check for evidence of radicalization.

In its initial response to the incident, flydubai said the underlying reasons remained unknown and warned against “premature speculation,” according to Reuters’ initial report.

The investigation also extends to the co-pilot’s background overseas. According to The Guardian, authorities in New Zealand and Australia are examining reports that he studied in both countries about 10 years ago. Investigators are also trying to establish whether he acted entirely alone.

Israel tightens checks, but responsibility remains disputed

For travelers, the concrete security response reported so far is tighter scrutiny of pilots flying into Israel. Reuters reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered tighter checks following the incident.

The Guardian also described a dispute inside Israel over responsibility for existing checks. Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, said the transportation ministry was responsible for vetting passenger lists on foreign flights. Transportation Minister Miri Regev said security agencies handled flight security.

Israeli newspapers reported that a key database of foreign pilots had not been checked despite concerns raised in official reports, according to The Guardian. The competing accounts do not resolve which institution was responsible for any lapse.

The distinction matters when assessing this flight’s aftermath. Passengers and crew stopped the immediate threat, and a replacement aircraft completed the journey. The unresolved security question is earlier in the process: whether reported warning signs should have prevented the co-pilot from reaching that cockpit in the first place.