Australian security officials have commenced an inquiry following revelations that the flydubai co-pilot, who allegedly attempted to hijack a flight destined for Israel, spent approximately two years in Australia as a student.
A potential disaster was narrowly averted on Wednesday when passengers and crew intervened to thwart the co-pilot’s efforts to seize control of the flydubai aircraft en route to Tel Aviv, which was carrying 182 individuals and experienced a rapid descent of 16,625 feet (5,067 meters) in just over half a minute.
The United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor general indicated that the co-pilot employed a crash axe during what has been described as a “terrorist attack,” which included the stabbing of the pilot while airborne. Various media sources have identified the co-pilot as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani citizen.
A source familiar with the investigation, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the individual was issued an Australian student visa in 2014 and arrived in Australia to pursue a university education the following year. He departed Australia in 2017, with his visa subsequently revoked in 2019 after authorities confirmed he was no longer enrolled in his course.
On Sunday, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) announced that multiple agencies, including the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), are examining the individual’s connections to Australia. An AFP representative stated, “The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team (VIC JCTT), which includes the AFP, Victoria Police, and ASIO, is conducting an investigation into the man’s ties to Australia. An update will be provided at the appropriate time.”
U.S. media, including CNN, reported that a now-deleted LinkedIn profile indicated that al-Hammami had studied engineering at an Australian university; however, Guardian Australia has not confirmed the specific institution attended by the co-pilot.
Additionally, Buckinghamshire New University in the UK stated that a student named Hamam al-Hammami had “previously completed a distance-learning course in aviation management” with them but clarified that he did not undergo any pilot training at their university.
A spokesperson for flydubai noted on Saturday that the specifics of the incident remain under investigation, and the airline cannot provide further comments at this time. Flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv have been suspended until further notice following the attack. Both the Omani co-pilot and the flight’s Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, have been transferred to the UAE, where the investigation is being led. Officials confirmed that several countries, including Israel, are involved in the investigation.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the co-pilot had previously been prohibited from flying by Oman due to concerns regarding his potential extremist views. Following this, he was reassigned to an administrative role at Oman Air before being employed by the Dubai-based budget airline flydubai.
