Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old flydubai co-pilot from Oman, is under investigation for attempting to crash a jet bound for Tel Aviv. He admitted to investigators that he wanted to bring down the plane and was "not afraid of death." Authorities are examining how he became radicalized despite earlier being banned by his first aviation employer, Oman Air, due to extremist website visits. The article details Hammami’s social media history and time in Syria during the civil war, suggesting a possible link between these experiences and his alleged actions on September 30.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 30, 2026, a Flydubai flight (FZ1073) traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv signaled an emergency while over Jordanian airspace, prompting it to divert to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The plane transmitted distress codes indicating both technical issues and possible unlawful interference but was later found safe after a fight between the pilots. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held urgent consultations following the incident, with Israel's air force scrambling jets due to initial fears of hijacking. The flight carried around 150 passengers, mostly Israelis, who landed safely in Saudi Arabia without any casualties.
Written for “Israel Bound Flight Diverts Due to Co…” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 320 other(s) covering the same event.
Hamam al-Hammami, the flydubai co-pilot accused of trying to crash a passenger jet bound for Tel Aviv, told investigators after the plane landed in Saudi Arabia that he wanted to deliberately bring it down and was 'not afraid of death', according to a Wall Street Journal report.
uncertain
he → accuse → report
The 29-year-old Omani national is now under investigation as to how he became radicalised, and how someone whose extremist interests had already drawn the attention of authorities was later allowed back into the cockpit.
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interests → become → cockpit
From a love of flying to radicalisation
According to the Wall Street Journal, Hammami's first aviation employer, state-owned Oman Air, banned him from flying after authorities discovered that he was visiting extremist websites.
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he → accord → websites
People briefed on his background told the newspaper that he was subsequently put through a deradicalisation programme and reassigned to a desk job.
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he → brief → job
After leaving Oman Air, Hammami eventually found work in the UAE, and Flydubai hired him in February 2026.
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Flydubai → leave → February
It remains unclear what information about his earlier history was available to the airline or whether Oman was ever asked to provide it.
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Oman → remain → it
The WSJ reported that Oman received no requests from other countries for information to vet him for employment.
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Oman → report → employment
Investigators are also looking at Hammami's time in Syria.
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Investigators → look → Syria
Born to an Omani father and Syrian mother, Hammami spent part of his youth in Syria during the country's civil war.
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Hammami → bear → war
According to people familiar with the investigation cited by the WSJ, authorities are examining whether he began to radicalise while there, when Islamist rebels were fighting Bashar al-Assad's government.
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rebels → accord → government
Hammami’s social media also provides a substantial online record that predates the flydubai attack.
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that → provide → attack
More than 3,000 screenshots from Hammami's deleted X account remain available through the Internet Archive.
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screenshots → delete → Archive
The posts include deeply conservative and misogynistic views, including statements opposing women working and expressing a preference for religious women who wear the veil.
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who → include → veil
One post described Hammami creating a fake account to contact Saudi women.
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Hammami → describe → women
In another, he wrote that his wife should not work.
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wife → write → another
The material does not by itself establish when he became violent or whether his views directly caused the flydubai attack.
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views → establish → attack
But investigators are examining the posts alongside his earlier extremist-web activity and his time in Syria to establish whether they form part of a broader process of radicalisation.
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they → examine → radicalisation
The flydubai attack
On September 30, Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar aboard flydubai Flight 1073, using a cockpit crash axe before trying to take control of the aircraft.
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Hammami → attack → aircraft
The plane plunged more than 16,000 feet in roughly 30 seconds before the badly injured captain managed to open the cockpit door.
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captain → plunge → door
Passengers and crew then overpowered Hammami, while two off-duty pilots on board helped stabilise and land the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.
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pilots → overpower → Arabia
After the emergency landing, a Saudi official briefed on his interrogation told the WSJ that Hammami acknowledged that he wanted to deliberately crash the aircraft and was not afraid of death.
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he → brief → death
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Israel are investigating whether he acted alone or had links to outside groups, especially Iran.
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he → investigate → groups
The Aporia
