Key facts
- A flydubai co-pilot planned to crash flight FZ1073 into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport or a building.
- The co-pilot attacked the captain with an emergency crash axe.
- The plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the incident.
- The co-pilot is described as an Omani national and a 'lone wolf' extremist.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the co-pilot underwent 'Islamist radical indoctrination'.
A co-pilot on a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv allegedly planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion airport or a tower block in the city, according to US and Israeli reports. The Omani national, identified in multiple reports as Hamam al-Hammami, is accused of carrying out a "terrorist act" on flight FZ1073 last Wednesday.
Reports suggest the co-pilot attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, with an emergency crash axe kept in the cockpit before being subdued by passengers. A second crew member was able to divert the plane to Saudi Arabia, where it landed with over 180 passengers on board.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination" and that the captain, passengers, and another crew member prevented a "9/11 disaster." Investigators are reportedly examining the co-pilot's claims that he intended to crash the Boeing 737 MAX into the airport or a Tel Aviv building, in a manner similar to the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Sources cited in the reports indicate the co-pilot acted alone and had previously considered hijacking a flight to Tel Aviv but changed his mind. The UAE attorney-general, Hamad al-Shamsi, confirmed the incident as a "terrorist act" and stated that investigations would establish full circumstances, motives, and any links.
Questions have been raised about security lapses, including how the co-pilot was hired by flydubai and cleared to fly to Israel. Regional officials indicated he was previously barred from flying by Oman Air due to concerns about extremist views. Australian authorities are also investigating the co-pilot's past studies in the country between 2015 and 2017.
Discrepancies have emerged regarding security vetting, with Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev stating her ministry did not receive passenger and crew lists, while the Shin Bet and Mossad were responsible for security oversight. Netanyahu has ordered a review of all security aspects related to foreign civil aviation into Israel.