On 30 September, a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia after a dramatic cockpit incident. The co‑pilot, later identified as Hamam al‑Hammami, allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe, forcing the plane to lose altitude and crash‑landing. Passengers and two reserve pilots reacted swiftly, regaining control and stabilising the aircraft for a safe emergency landing.
The incident triggered an investigation by Australian authorities into al‑Hammami’s “links to Australia” after reports revealed he had held a student visa from 2014 to 2017, studied in Australian institutions, and had his visa cancelled in 2019. Counter‑terrorism officials are examining whether radicalisation occurred during his time in Australia. UAE prosecutor‑general Hamad Saif Al Shamsi confirmed the act was a “terrorist act” and that investigations were underway.
Al‑Hammami’s background shows a complex employment history: a former trainee at Oman Air, a period at the Omani national airline where he was denied flight training for alleged extremist views, and a distance‑learning degree in aviation management from Buckinghamshire New University in 2023, though the university noted he did not undertake pilot training there.
The co‑pilot was arrested following the emergency landing and is currently being questioned by Saudi authorities, while the captain was airlifted to Abu Dhabi and remains in stable condition. The incident has intensified scrutiny over airline crew vetting and the international cooperation required to prevent future threats.
