Flydubai Hijacking: Additional Pilots Identified as New Zealand, South African Nationals

An official from the United Arab Emirates revealed to CBS News that the two additional pilots who took control and landed the Flydubai flight after a hijacking attempt are citizens of New Zealand and South Africa. The flight, FZ1073, was en route to Tel Aviv when the incident occurred. The aircraft carried a total of four crew members: the chief pilot, an Indian national, and the co-pilot, identified as the hijacker Mam al-Hamami, an Omani citizen.

According to a reconstruction of the event published by the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the incident began early in the morning in Dubai. After the Boeing 737 MAX took off with 174 passengers, including 27 children, the co-pilot, al-Hamami, requested to leave his seat to pray. Shortly after, he attacked the captain with an emergency axe. The armored cockpit door, locked from the inside, prevented others from intervening immediately.

Two other pilots, traveling as passengers and part of a reinforcement crew, entered the cockpit and managed to regain control of the situation and stabilize the aircraft. During the struggle, the autopilot was disengaged, causing the plane to rapidly descend approximately 16,000 feet in under a minute, reaching speeds of about 970 km/h.

Analysis of cabin footage indicated that emergency lights were illuminated during the flight, suggesting a possible engine shutdown, though this remains unconfirmed. The flight ultimately landed safely on an emergency route, and the co-pilot was neutralized and handed over to authorities. An international investigation is ongoing to determine al-Hamami's motives and whether he acted alone. Current assessments suggest it was the act of a lone individual without proven organizational affiliation.