IBNS-CMEDIA: Omani pilot Hamam al-Hammami, who is under arrest and being interrogated in the United Arab Emirates, has reportedly told investigators that he planned to crash Flydubai Flight FZ1073 into Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport during the September 30 cockpit ordeal, according to media reports.
Al-Hammami allegedly told investigators that his plan was to continue the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight normally after incapacitating the captain, obtain all necessary landing clearances and then deliberately crash the aircraft into a building or another plane at Ben Gurion Airport, The Times of Israel reported, citing Hebrew-language media outlets.
By waiting until the final moments of the flight, al-Hammami allegedly intended to prevent authorities and passengers from realising what was happening and thereby maximise the impact of the attack. The reported plan has been likened to the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, in which hijacked passenger aircraft were deliberately crashed into targets.
According to The Times of Israel, al-Hammami told investigators that he waited until the aircraft was over Jordan before attempting to seize control of the cockpit.
He reportedly said that after arriving in Israel in June, he devoted his time to gathering intelligence and preparing for the attack. He allegedly began planning an attack in July but abandoned the plan at the last moment because he was friends with one of the crew members, the report said.
Earlier security concerns
The reported revelations have added a new dimension to the investigation into the alleged cockpit attack, after reports emerged that al-Hammami had previously been removed from flight training in Oman over concerns about his alleged extremist views.
According to ABC, citing several officials, al-Hammami was reportedly found in possession of extremist material in 2024 while working as a co-pilot trainee with Oman Air.
He was subsequently removed from flight training but was reportedly allowed to continue working for the airline in an administrative capacity.
Investigators are now examining how al-Hammami was subsequently able to obtain a flying position with flydubai and eventually serve as co-pilot on a passenger flight to Tel Aviv despite the earlier concerns allegedly raised during his time with Oman Air.
The probe is expected to examine how the earlier security concerns were handled, whether the information was shared with relevant authorities and how al-Hammami was ultimately cleared to work in the cockpit of a passenger aircraft.
What happened aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073?
The incident occurred on September 30 aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Indian Captain Smit Machchhar was allegedly attacked by his Omani co-pilot inside the cockpit during the flight.
Machchhar sustained serious injuries in the alleged assault but managed to retain control of the aircraft and continue the flight. He was subsequently evacuated for medical treatment as authorities launched an investigation into the incident.
The allegations against al-Hammami remain subject to investigation, and the reported details of his alleged plans have not been independently established by investigators publicly.
