Flydubai Co-Pilot Who Attempted Israel Hijacking Trained in Britain
Omani national Hamam Al Hammami, who allegedly attacked the captain and attempted to seize control of a flight to Tel Aviv, received pilot training at a U.K. company.
The co-pilot who attempted to hijack a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv last week had trained at a pilot-academy in England, according to reports.
Hamam Al Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national, allegedly used an onboard crash axe to wound the captain and tried to take control of the aircraft as it flew towards Israel. Passengers and crew members reportedly subdued Al Hammami after the plane plummeted 14,000 feet in 29 seconds. A British off-duty pilot is believed to have been among those who intervened.
Al Hammami is understood to have undertaken training with L3 Airline Academy, which has since become part of Acron Aviation, at one or more of its centers in England. The company has training facilities in Southampton and Bournemouth, and a simulator center near Gatwick.
Acron Aviation declined to comment on whether Al Hammami had trained with the company, stating only that they would assist authorities if necessary and that their thoughts were with those affected. "As a matter of policy, we do not publicly comment on whether any individual is or has been a student with us," a spokesperson told The Telegraph.
Al Hammami, who also studied at Buckinghamshire New University (BNU) for a distance-learning degree in aviation, graduating in 2023, had previously worked with Oman's national airline as a trainee. He was reportedly removed from flying duties due to concerns he might have been influenced by radical groups during time spent in Syria. The university stated that Al Hammami did not undertake any pilot training there.
US and Israeli intelligence agencies believe Al Hammami intended to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport or a city tower block. Sources told CBS News that the Israeli government was prepared to shoot down the aircraft to prevent an "Israeli 9/11."
Following standard procedure for such threats, the Israeli Air Force attempted to contact the flight's cockpit without success. Fighter jets were scrambled, and Israel's airspace was closed as the jets approached. The jets were recalled when the plane, which was approximately 400 miles from the Israeli border, turned toward Saudi Arabia.
Had the flight continued on its intended path, it would have been declared a rogue flight. Israeli jets were prepared to fly into Jordan to assess the situation. Protocol dictates that rogue flights approaching Israel are shot down, a decision that would have required the prime minister's authorization.
After the severe altitude drop, the captain's struggle with Al Hammami reportedly allowed the cockpit door to be unlocked. Passengers and crew then overpowered the alleged hijacker, enabling the plane to land safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Captain Smit Machchhar has been credited with saving the lives of the 174 passengers aboard.
Al Hammami, born in the UAE with Syrian maternal heritage and Omani nationality from his father, also reportedly studied engineering in Australia. LinkedIn posts attributed to him after the incident allegedly featured clips of Israeli airline planes and images of Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and a past bomber, alongside an AI-generated image of Islamic holy sites linked by a glowing trail with a poem about rejecting humiliation and defending dignity.