The Australian Federal Police are investigating possible links between Australia and a Flydubai co‑pilot accused of attacking the captain with a crash axe on a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on 30 September. The aircraft, carrying over 170 people, plunged about 17,000 ft before passengers and reserve pilots regained control and landed safely in Saudi Arabia. The co‑pilot was arrested and is being questioned; authorities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Australia are probing motives and potential radicalisation. The pilot, Capt Smit Machchhar, was injured and is reported to be in stable condition.
Australia Probes Possible Links To Flydubai Co‑Pilot Accused Of Axe Attack On Dubai–Tel Aviv Flight
The Flydubai plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after passengers managed to take back control from the co-pilot [Social Media]
Australian authorities are examining potential links between the country and a Flydubai co‑pilot accused of attempting to seize control of a passenger aircraft bound for Tel Aviv.
Prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates say the co‑pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a crash axe during the Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on 30 September. Passengers helped subdue the suspect and the aircraft was eventually brought under control; two reserve pilots then landed the jet safely in Saudi Arabia.
Investigations Underway
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed to the BBC that it is probing "the man's links to Australia," and said state police and the nation's security agency are involved. The AFP has not publicly named the co‑pilot. Multiple international outlets, including Reuters, CNN and The New York Times, have identified him as Hamam al‑Hammami; Israeli officials have described him as an Omani national.
What Happened On Board
The flight, carrying more than 170 passengers, plunged roughly 17,000 ft (about 5,200 m) about two and a half hours into the journey after the alleged attack, the UAE prosecutor general has said. The pilot who had been flying the aircraft, Capt Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, said he was injured and on the cockpit floor when the plane began to descend. He described forcing the cockpit door from the inside so passengers could enter and help.
[BBC]
"I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside," Capt Machchhar said, describing how passengers then helped regain control of the aircraft.
Two reserve pilots landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia. Capt Machchhar was taken to a nearby hospital and later airlifted to Abu Dhabi; reports say he is in stable condition. According to Israeli officials, the co‑pilot was arrested after the emergency landing and is being questioned by Saudi authorities.
Background On The Suspect
Sources familiar with the case told Australian media the man was granted a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia from 2015 to 2017 before leaving the country. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that his student visa was cancelled in 2019 after he was no longer enrolled. Australian counter‑terrorism agencies will examine whether any radicalisation occurred while he was in Australia.
US media reports say the man was removed from flight training at Oman Air amid concerns about radical views and reassigned to a different role at the national carrier. From 2020 he enrolled in a distance‑learning aviation management course at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK and graduated in 2023; the university said he did not undertake any pilot training there.
Official Statements
The UAE attorney general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances, motives and any links related to the incident. He told state media that early findings indicated the co‑pilot attempted what investigators are treating as a "terrorist act." Authorities in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Australia continue to investigate.
Note: Details remain subject to confirmation as investigations progress and some reports identify the suspect by name while Australian officials have not publicly confirmed his identity.
Help us improve.
