JERUSALEM | The co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of flydubai Flight FZ1073 and attempting to take control of the aircraft had allegedly planned the attack before joining the airline, according to two Israeli officials familiar with the investigation, adding a significant new dimension to an aviation security case involving an international flight bound for Israel.
The Omani co-pilot told United Arab Emirates investigators that he deliberately applied for a position at flydubai after looking for airlines operating flights to Tel Aviv, the Israeli officials told Reuters. A third source briefed on the UAE investigation said he had intended to crash the September 30 flight into Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
The same source said the co-pilot had also operated an earlier flight to Tel Aviv and had considered hijacking and crashing that aircraft, but abandoned the plan. The reason was not immediately clear, although the source said he was believed to know someone on board.
The co-pilot, identified by sources as Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit with an emergency crash axe as the flight traveled from Dubai to Israel. The UAE Attorney-General has described the incident as an attempted terrorist act and said investigators are examining the attacker’s motives, possible links and digital and physical evidence.
The attack was prevented after Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door despite being injured, allowing passengers and crew members to restrain the co-pilot. A reserve flydubai pilot aboard the aircraft then took control and landed the plane safely at an airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The aircraft was carrying more than 170 passengers and crew, most of them Israeli nationals.
The co-pilot remains in UAE custody. No formal charges have been publicly announced against him, and Reuters said it was unable to independently contact him for comment. Oman has also not publicly commented on the case.
The investigation has expanded beyond the UAE and Israel. Australian authorities are examining the co-pilot’s links to the country after investigators learned that he had previously studied at RMIT University in Melbourne. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also ordered a review of security arrangements covering foreign civilian flights entering Israel following the incident.
The case has raised questions about how the co-pilot was able to obtain employment with an international airline and subsequently operate a flight to Israel despite concerns reportedly surrounding his background. Investigators have yet to establish publicly whether he acted entirely alone or had assistance from an organization.
The flight route itself reflected the changing aviation links between the United Arab Emirates and Israel. Flydubai began scheduled Dubai to Tel Aviv service in November 2020, following the air transport agreement between the two countries after their decision to establish diplomatic relations. The airline’s first scheduled flight to Tel Aviv landed at Ben Gurion Airport on November 26, 2020.
The latest revelations are expected to intensify scrutiny of pilot recruitment, background checks and security procedures for foreign airlines operating into Israel as investigators continue to determine how an alleged premeditated plan reached the cockpit of a commercial passenger aircraft.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
