Australia Probes Flydubai Co-Pilot’s Ties to the Country

Australian officials have launched an investigation into the connections between a Flydubai co-pilot and the nation, following revelations that the man previously studied there. The co-pilot is accused of attempting to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv by attacking the captain with a crash axe.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed to the BBC that it is examining the man’s ties to Australia, working alongside state police and national security agencies. While authorities have not publicly identified the suspect, international media outlets including Reuters, CNN, and The New York Times have named him as Hamam al-Hammami.

Reports indicate that al-Hammami was issued a student visa in 2014 and undertook studies in Australia between 2015 and 2017. His visa was subsequently cancelled in 2019 after he failed to remain enrolled in any courses, rendering him ineligible to stay. Counter-terrorism officials are now assessing whether he underwent radicalization during his time in the country.

The incident occurred on September 30 on a flight carrying over 170 passengers. Two and a half hours into the journey, the aircraft plummeted approximately 17,000ft after the co-pilot, described by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an Omani national, assaulted Captain Smit Machchhar. Machchhar, who was injured and lying on the floor, managed to push his way into the cockpit as the plane descended. Passengers then overpowered the co-pilot, allowing two reserve pilots on board to safely land the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Captain Machchhar was hospitalized in stable condition. The co-pilot was arrested at the scene and is currently in the custody of Saudi authorities. The UAE prosecutor general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, stated that investigations are underway to determine the motives and circumstances, describing the attempted attack as a “terrorist act.”

Further details regarding al-Hammami’s professional history have emerged. US media reports suggest that while employed by Oman Air, he was removed from flight training due to concerns about his radical views but was reassigned to a different role. Additionally, records show he graduated in 2023 with a degree in aviation management from Buckinghamshire New University in the UK via distance learning, though the university confirmed he did not undertake any pilot training there.