Flydubai Co-Pilot Planned Crash Into Tel Aviv Airport or Building, Reports Say
The Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking his captain during a flight to Israel reportedly planned to crash the aircraft into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport or a tall building in the city.
The new details have emerged as investigators continue examining the attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ1073.
The Boeing 737 MAX was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency crash axe.
Passengers and crew members eventually overpowered the attacker. A reserve pilot then helped land the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia.
Co-Pilot Allegedly Planned Airport Attack
According to reports citing sources familiar with the investigation, the co-pilot planned to keep flying toward Israel after taking control of the aircraft.
He allegedly intended to follow the normal flight route and obtain permission to land at Ben Gurion Airport.
The reports say his plan was then to crash the aircraft into the airport or a building in Tel Aviv.
The alleged plan was reportedly revealed during questioning by investigators in the United Arab Emirates.
The information has not been independently verified by Reuters, and the UAE has not publicly released all details of its investigation. However, multiple reports from Israeli, US and international media have cited sources familiar with the case.
Attack on the Captain
The incident happened aboard Flight FZ1073 while the aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with the emergency axe kept inside the cockpit.
The captain was injured but managed to open the cockpit door.
Passengers and other crew members rushed into the cockpit and helped overpower the attacker.
A reserve Flydubai pilot who was travelling on the aircraft then took control of the plane.
The aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely at an airport in the northwestern part of the country.
More than 170 people were aboard the flight. Other reports have put the total number of passengers and crew at 182.
Co-Pilot Identified as Omani National
The suspect has been identified by multiple sources as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national.
The UAE has not publicly released a full account of his alleged motive or announced formal charges.
According to reports, investigators are examining his background and how he was able to obtain employment with Flydubai.
Officials are also investigating his previous aviation activities and possible links to other countries.
The case has raised questions about how an individual who was reportedly considered a security concern in Oman was later allowed to work as a commercial airline co-pilot.
Previous Flight Also Under Investigation
Investigators are also examining reports that the suspect had previously flown to Israel.
According to sources cited by Reuters, he allegedly considered carrying out an attack during an earlier flight to Tel Aviv.
That plan was reportedly abandoned because someone he knew was on the aircraft.
The reports suggest that the suspect later applied to work for Flydubai after looking for an airline operating flights to Tel Aviv.
Investigators are now trying to establish when the alleged plan was formed and whether anyone else knew about it.
Security Questions Grow
The latest reports have increased scrutiny of aviation security procedures involving airline crew.
Israeli authorities have questioned how an Omani national was able to serve as a co-pilot on a flight to Israel, given that Oman and Israel do not have formal diplomatic relations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a review of security arrangements for foreign airlines operating flights to Israel.
The review is expected to examine crew vetting, information sharing and procedures for identifying potential threats before aircraft enter Israeli airspace.
Captain and Passengers Prevented Disaster
The actions of Captain Machchhar and the passengers have received widespread attention.
After being attacked, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing people in the cabin to intervene.
Passengers helped restrain the co-pilot while other crew members worked to regain control of the aircraft.
The wounded captain has since been praised by officials for his actions during the emergency.
The UAE attorney general has described the incident as an attempted terrorist act.
Investigation Continues
The alleged plan to crash the Flydubai aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport or a Tel Aviv building is now a major focus of the investigation.
Authorities in the UAE are leading the case, while Israeli and Saudi officials are also involved. Investigators in Australia and New Zealand are examining the suspect’s previous connections to those countries.
At this stage, officials have not publicly established that the suspect was acting on behalf of a larger organisation.
The investigation will also seek to determine how the alleged plan developed, how the suspect passed aviation security checks and whether any other individuals were involved.
For now, the successful intervention by the captain, passengers and crew prevented what could have been a major aviation disaster involving hundreds of people.
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