Flydubai Co-Pilot's Past and Radicalization Probe Revealed

The co-pilot who allegedly attacked a Flydubai pilot on a flight to Tel Aviv has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, with his employment history and suspected radicalization now under investigation. Al-Hammami worked at Oman Air for about seven years until February 2025, and was reportedly removed from flight training there due to concerns about his radical views. He later joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 but left in January 2026. The incident occurred on September 30, 2026, when al-Hammami allegedly attacked pilot Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe. The pilot survived and passengers helped subdue the attacker, leading to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.