FlyDubai Pilot's Troubled Past Revealed Amidst Hijacking Attempt

New details have emerged regarding the background of Hammam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old FlyDubai second pilot involved in an attempted hijacking of a flight bound for Israel. Investigations reveal that al-Hammami faced issues with his flight clearance long before the incident. While working for Oman Air, he was suspended from flying duties in 2024 after extremist materials were found on his devices. Authorities in Oman also reportedly linked him to radical internet resources. Despite this, he was not fully dismissed but transferred to administrative work.

Concerns about al-Hammami's radicalization may also stem from his time in Syria, though the exact period is unspecified. He reportedly attempted to join Royal Air Maroc but was denied employment after a three-month theoretical training. His aviation management studies at Buckinghamshire University were remote and did not involve pilot training, according to a university representative. Despite these past issues, al-Hammami was later hired by FlyDubai, where he worked for approximately eight months.

Investigators are now scrutinizing how al-Hammami passed the hiring process at FlyDubai. One theory suggests that background checks may have prioritized criminal records over signs of radicalization. It is also reported that FlyDubai did not request information about his past from Omani authorities before hiring him. The airline has stated that the incident raises many questions but has refrained from detailed comments.

Social media accounts linked to al-Hammami, later deleted, contained highly conservative views on women and included videos from a Boeing 737 Max cockpit. Some footage showed El Al and Arkia planes, with one video dated October 11, 2023, when he was still with Oman Air. The posts also featured images of former Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and a member of the terrorist organization responsible for a 2009 attack. Another post included an AI-generated image of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem.

During the flight to Israel, al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain with an emergency axe in the cockpit and attempted to seize control of the aircraft's systems. The UAE Attorney General is officially treating the incident as an attempted terrorist act. Al-Hammami reportedly told investigators he intended to crash the plane in Israel. He was subsequently transported from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi with the captain and UAE security personnel.