Flydubai Pilot Planned Months to Crash Plane at Ben Gurion Airport

The pilot who attempted to crash a Flydubai plane had been planning the attack for months, gathering intelligence during previous visits to Israel's Ben Gurion Airport. Haitham Al-Hamaami, the pilot in question, revealed in his interrogation that he intended to take control of the aircraft, obtain landing clearance, and then deliberately crash into the airport. He had visited Israel multiple times while working for Flydubai, using these trips to collect information and observe airport operations.

Al-Hamaami's initial plan was to carry out the attack in July. However, he postponed the operation because he knew a crew member on one of the flights. He had even boarded a flight with Israeli passengers at that time, intending to crash the plane within Israeli territory, but ultimately decided against it due to his acquaintance with a crew member.

The plot was ultimately thwarted by the quick thinking of an Indian pilot, Smith Machear, who managed to open the cockpit door. This action allowed others to hear the commotion inside and alerted them to the unfolding danger, preventing a potentially much larger catastrophe. The article notes that brave Israeli passengers and two other pilots on board also contributed to foiling the attack.

Al-Hamaami reportedly planned to seize control of the plane over Jordan to ensure he would receive landing clearance at Ben Gurion Airport without being intercepted. He aimed to crash into a building or another aircraft at the airport, rather than in an area where interception might occur.