Dubai Airline massacre: Preliminary investigation points to co-pilot planning terrorist act
United Arab Emirates investigators said that the recent Dubai Airline massacre was a terrorist act planned by the co-pilot. The suspect used an emergency ax to attack the captain and attempted to seize control of the aircraft.
Quick Look
- An investigation by the United Arab Emirates revealed that the recent massacre on a Dubai Air flight was a terrorist act planned by the co-pilot.
- The suspect used an emergency ax to attack the captain in the cockpit and attempted to seize the plane.
- The flight eventually made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
On September 30, the co-pilot attacked the captain of a Dubai Airways flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, causing the flight to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Investigators from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said that a preliminary investigation showed that the recent flydubai air massacre was a "terrorist act" planned by the flight's co-pilot, but investigators did not disclose the motive for the crime.
The official Arab news agency WAM reported on the 3rd, quoting UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, that preliminary investigation results showed that the co-pilot of the aircraft "attempted to carry out a terrorist act" and "attacked the captain with an emergency ax in the cockpit and tried to seize control of the aircraft." The co-pilot who committed the crime is still detained in UAE.
The WAM report also said that the official preliminary investigation into the mid-air massacre did not confirm the nationality of the co-pilot who committed the crime. But a source in Saudi Arabia confirmed to AFP that the co-pilot was an Omani citizen. The media has previously reported that co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami is an Omani and has long been grounded by his home country Oman because of his worrying and extreme views.
The case occurred on September 30. The Dubai Air flight was originally scheduled to fly from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Israel. On the way, the co-pilot Hamami attacked the Indian captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to crash the plane. Fortunately, Machchhar opened the cockpit door in time, allowing the passengers and crew to subdue Hamami.
The plane eventually made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, and most of the passengers on board, who were Israelis, also returned to Israel later.
Open Questions
- What is the specific motive of the first officer’s crime?
- How did the suspect get into the cockpit with the ax?
