Flydubai Co-Pilot Intended to Crash Plane in Israel, Report Says
Translated & summarized from Channel 13 by baba
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Flydubai co-pilot Hammam Al-Hammami intended to crash the plane in Israel.
- Al-Hammami was an Omani citizen who allegedly became radicalized in Syria.
- Oman had previously banned Al-Hammami from flying due to extremist ideology.
- Investigators are examining how he was hired and allowed to fly to Israel.
- The incident highlights potential significant aviation security failures.
- The U.S. has not ruled out Iranian involvement in the incident.
The co-pilot of a Flydubai flight, identified as Hammam Al-Hammami, an Omani citizen who allegedly became radicalized in Syria, intended to crash the plane in Israel, according to Saudi-based Al Arabiya and U.S. sources cited by ABC News. Al-Hammami is reportedly cooperating with investigators. The investigation is also examining how he was employed by the airline and allowed to serve as co-pilot on a flight to Ben Gurion Airport. The Wall Street Journal reported that Oman had previously banned Al-Hammami from flying due to his "extremist ideology," yet he was hired by Flydubai, enabling him to fly to Israel. It remains unclear if Oman shared its concerns about his radicalization with other airlines. The UAE has declined to comment on the co-pilot's background to avoid prejudging the investigation, as have Flydubai and the Omani government. Aviation security analysts told The Wall Street Journal that the incident represents a significant security failure, as a hostile individual with means and intent should have been identified and apprehended long before reaching an airport. A former Flydubai crew member and an active Emirates pilot noted that all pilots undergo security and medical checks, with psychological evaluations for captains, but it is unknown if Al-Hammami received such a review. A classified Israeli State Comptroller report from May 2024 identified security issues on flights to and from the UAE, including inadequate security at foreign airports, and found that Israel's Ministry of Transportation had focused on Israeli airlines rather than foreign carriers flying to Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a video that the perpetrator had undergone Islamist radicalization and intended to crash the plane with its passengers, adding that an investigation is underway to determine if he was sent by anyone, who will pay a heavy price. The U.S. State Department has not ruled out Iranian involvement and is coordinating with regional partners on the investigation.
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