A recent attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight was thwarted when multiple people on board overpowered the co-pilot, according to the UAE Attorney General.
What happened
The co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Hammam al Hammami, had planned to crash the plane into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion International Airport in central Israel. Al Hammami, an Omani national, had previously flown to the airport twice to familiarize himself with the flight route and airport layout.
According to the UAE Attorney General, al Hammami became radicalized while studying in Australia in 2017 and drew inspiration from the 9/11 attacks. He had worked for several airlines before joining Flydubai earlier this year.
The attempted hijacking occurred on September 30 during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Al Hammami allegedly attacked the captain with a crash axe before attempting to take control of the plane. However, he was overpowered by multiple people on board, and the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The incident is being investigated by the UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, with Israel's internal security service, Shin Bet, sending officials to the UAE to assist with the interrogation of the suspect.
