New Zealand Police Investigate FlyDubai Pilot's Past Amid Hijacking Attempt Probe

New Zealand police are investigating the past of Hammam al-Hammami, the second pilot involved in an attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Deputy Commissioner Michael Johnson confirmed that authorities are aware of al-Hammami's time in New Zealand and are examining his activities there, potentially involving other government agencies. The New Zealand immigration service has deferred questions about his visa, duration of stay, and any flight training to the police.

The investigation stems from the incident on FlyDubai flight 1073, where al-Hammami is accused of attacking Captain Smith Machhar with an emergency axe in the cockpit and attempting to seize control of the aircraft. During the struggle, the plane rapidly lost over 16,000 feet in altitude. Captain Machhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene, and the plane was safely landed in Saudi Arabia by another pilot.

The UAE Attorney General has classified the event as a terrorist act. Al-Hammami was initially detained in Saudi Arabia and subsequently handed over to the UAE, which is leading the primary investigation. There is a theory that the attack was premeditated, with Israeli officials suggesting al-Hammami may have targeted the airline specifically for its flights to Tel Aviv, potentially planning the act as early as 2026, though it did not occur then. UAE authorities have not yet released findings to independently corroborate this.

New Zealand is the second country outside the Middle East to scrutinize al-Hammami's background. Australian authorities are also investigating his connections, with RMIT University in Melbourne confirming he studied there between 2015 and 2017, though not in engineering. Notably, Captain Machhar also underwent initial flight training in New Zealand approximately 18 years ago.