The co-pilot involved in the attempted sabotage of a flydubai flight headed to Tel Aviv has been named as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national previously prohibited from flying due to concerns over potential extremist ideologies.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that a crash axe, an emergency tool typically found in airplane cockpits, was used during the mid-air incident.
A collaborative inquiry by officials from the United Arab Emirates and Israel is set to explore potential terrorist motives behind the attack and whether the co-pilot acted independently or under influence.
On Saturday, the prosecutor general of the UAE announced that the co-pilot had sought to execute a “terrorist” act during flydubai flight FZ1073, as reported by the state news agency WAM.
According to the prosecutor general, al-Hammami assaulted the pilot in the cockpit with a crash axe while attempting to seize control of the aircraft.
This emergency tool is standard equipment in the cockpit for situations such as crashes.
Sources familiar with the investigation have confirmed to Reuters that the co-pilot is Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national. While Emirati officials have not officially identified him, Israeli authorities have previously acknowledged his nationality. The government of Oman has not issued a statement regarding the incident.
WAM quoted UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stating that investigations have concluded the co-pilot attempted a terrorist attack.
Although al-Hammami was barred from flying in Oman, he managed to secure a position with the UAE-based airline, according to a source who requested anonymity due to the ongoing investigation.
The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on Oman’s decision to prohibit the co-pilot from flying.
The remarks made by UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi were the first from Emirati officials to categorize the event as an attempted “terrorist” attack.
A crisis was averted on Wednesday when passengers and crew members restrained the co-pilot, who had attacked the captain in what Israeli officials described as a clear attempt to crash the aircraft, which was carrying over 170 individuals.
A reserve pilot from flydubai, who was also on board, successfully took control of the plane and landed it at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was subsequently detained by Saudi authorities.
An Israeli government representative informed Reuters that Israeli investigators would collaborate with Emirati officials in a UAE-led investigation to assess the incident, including the suspect’s motives and background.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Friday that an investigation would determine if the co-pilot operated under any external direction, warning that any accomplices would face severe repercussions.
Earlier in the week, Netanyahu mentioned that the co-pilot had undergone radical Islamist indoctrination and exhibited suicidal tendencies, although a definitive motive has yet to be established.
The majority of passengers aboard the flight were Israeli citizens.
Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft descended over 5,000 meters in slightly more than 30 seconds while traversing Saudi airspace on its route from the UAE to Israel.
This flight path is commonly utilized by travelers from Israel.
