A 29-year-old Omani citizen has been named as a suspect in the attack on the Flydubai pilot.
Quick Look
- ABC TV says the suspect in the stabbing attack on the co-pilot of a Flydubai plane on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight is 29-year-old Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami.
- Omani authorities previously banned him from flying due to his radical views, but he was hired by Flydubai, according to the Wall Street Journal.
- The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a distress signal.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia following reports of a fight between pilots. Later there were reports of a knife attack and an attempt to cause a disaster.
ABC TV says the suspect in the stabbing attack on the co-pilot of a Flydubai plane on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight is 29-year-old Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami. Omani authorities previously banned him from flying due to his radical views, but he was hired by Flydubai, according to the Wall Street Journal. The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a distress signal.
MOSCOW, October 3 - RIA Novosti. The co-pilot who attacked the captain of the Flydubai plane on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv could presumably be 29-year-old Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami, ABC TV channel claims, citing senior representatives of intelligence services and law enforcement agencies.
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal, citing sources, wrote that the Omani authorities banned the pilot, who is now suspected of attack, from flying because of his radical views. According to sources, the pilot, an Omani citizen, was hired by Flydubai despite the ban. However, the material does not specify whether Oman shared concerns about his radicalization with other countries or airlines. The publication also does not specify what specific radical views the pilot is talking about.
“Several sources familiar with the investigation identified the suspect in the attack as 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami,” the channel said in a statement.
On Wednesday, a Flydubai plane en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv signaled an emergency and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The airline later confirmed that a fight broke out between the pilots during the flight. Later, information appeared in the media that one of the pilots injured the second with a knife and tried to cause a plane crash.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
There will be an official investigation into the incident by Saudi authorities.
Very likely · Within weeks
Flydubai will review its recruitment and screening procedures
Likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Has the attack and injuries been officially confirmed?
- What kind of radical views did the suspect have?
- Has Oman shared information about the pilot's radicalization with other countries or airlines?
- What measures will Flydubai take after the incident?
