An Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the captain of a flydubai flight during a journey over Jordan allegedly planned to seize control of the aircraft and crash it at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, according to Israeli media reports.
Hamam al-Hammami allegedly told investigators that he intended to fly the aircraft towards Tel Aviv before deliberately crashing it into a building or another aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. The claims were reported by Israeli Channel 13 and News24.
According to the reports, al-Hammami also allegedly planned to kill the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, inside the cockpit before taking control of the aircraft.
Investigators were reportedly told that al-Hammami had selected flydubai because the airline operated routes to Israel.
“I looked into which airline flies to Tel Aviv. That’s why I chose flydubai. I planned it even before I was accepted,” he allegedly told investigators.
Alleged plot began before joining flydubai
Israeli media reports said the alleged plan had been developed before al-Hammami joined the airline. He reportedly told investigators that he had used previous trips to Israel to gather information connected to the alleged plot.
According to the reports, he had initially considered carrying out the attack in July but later changed his plans after developing a friendship with a member of the crew.
Investigators were also reportedly told that if he could not reach Israel, he had considered crashing the aircraft into a US military facility in Jordan.
The alleged attack took place while the aircraft was flying over Jordan. Despite being injured, Captain Machchhar reportedly managed to force open the cockpit door. Passengers then entered the cockpit, restrained al-Hammami and helped regain control of the aircraft.
Two off-duty pilots subsequently took control of the plane and flew it to safety in Saudi Arabia.
Aircraft plunged 16,000 feet
Further details of the incident have emerged from reports in Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which said al-Hammami interfered with the aircraft’s controls during the attack.
According to the report, the engines were switched off and the aircraft’s rudders were pushed forward, causing the plane to plunge around 16,000 feet in less than a minute and approach the speed of sound.
Authorities are now examining al-Hammami’s background as part of the investigation.
He reportedly spent three years studying engineering in Melbourne between 2015 and 2017, and investigators are examining whether he may have been radicalized while in Australia.
Reports have also claimed that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman because of concerns about his alleged extremist views. It remains unclear how he was subsequently permitted to operate a passenger flight to Israel.
The incident has prompted further scrutiny of aviation security procedures. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a review of security arrangements for international flights entering the country.
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining the suspect’s background, alleged motives and how he was able to obtain and retain access to a passenger aircraft.
