FlyDubai Pilot Planned Attack on Flight to Tel Aviv, Investigation Reveals
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami meticulously planned a hijacking attempt on a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv.
- Oman had previously grounded al-Hammami for radical views, but this information was not shared with FlyDubai.
- Security lapses occurred at the airline and between UAE and Israeli government agencies.
- The attack was thwarted by the captain, crew, and Israeli passengers, with the plane landing safely in Saudi Arabia.
- Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog will award medals for bravery to those who intervened.
An investigation into the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight has uncovered significant security lapses and systemic failures. The co-pilot, Hammam al-Hammami, had been systematically planning the attack for months, specifically seeking a route to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport. This was not his first attempt; he had previously aborted a similar plan, possibly due to recognizing someone on board.
Crucially, Omani authorities had previously identified al-Hammami's radical views and suspended him from flying with Oman Air, recommending rehabilitation. However, this critical information was not shared with his new employer, FlyDubai. The airline, upon hiring him in February 2026, conducted only a standard criminal background check and failed to contact his previous employer.
Failures extended to governmental agencies. While the UAE provided flight and passenger manifests to Israel, Israeli security services did not raise an alarm. This occurred despite regulations prohibiting citizens of countries without diplomatic ties to Israel, such as Oman, from flying to Israeli airports. A dispute arose between Israeli agencies regarding responsibility for the oversight. The Shin Bet stated that monitoring foreign crews falls under the Ministry of Transport, while the Minister of Transport, Miri Regev, blamed the intelligence services, asserting her ministry received no warnings. Recommendations from the State Comptroller in 2024 to clarify inter-agency responsibilities had not been implemented.
The attack occurred on September 30 during a flight from Dubai. Al-Hammami, armed with an emergency axe, attacked Captain Smith Machchhar and attempted to seize control of the Boeing 737 MAX 8. Despite severe head injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and off-duty crew to intervene. Israeli passengers Yaniv Hayun, Tzvika Manes, and Assaf Rajuan played a key role in subduing the attacker, while Dr. Shota Musaev provided medical aid to the captain. President of Israel Yitzhak Herzog has initiated the awarding of the "President's Medal for Civilian Courage" to the four individuals who intervened. The off-duty pilots successfully landed the damaged aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Al-Hammami is currently in custody in the UAE.
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