Middle‑Eastern officials briefed by NBC News say the pilot of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv had a pre‑planned scheme to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, mirroring the 2001 attacks. The pilot, identified as Hamman al‑Hamami, told investigators he intended to evade Israel’s defenses and strike the airport or another high‑profile target.
Details of the incident
Al‑Hamami, an Omani citizen, was transferred to the United Arab Emirates for questioning after the plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a dramatic mid‑air confrontation. Emirati authorities reported that the pilot attacked his co‑pilot, Capt. Smit Machchhar, with a crash axe and tried to take control of the flight controls.
The passenger jet, carrying 174 mostly Israeli passengers, descended roughly 14,000 feet in 29 seconds, according to Flightradar24 data, causing panic among those on board. Machchhar, an Indian national with 17 years of experience, later told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the attacker said he was going to pray – a routine practice for observant Muslims – before delivering a strong blow to his head.
Machchhar described losing vision and feeling the aircraft sharply drop. He later recounted that he realized the damage was not to the plane but to the other pilot in the cockpit. In a separate call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said he managed to open the cockpit door on a second attempt, allowing other crew members to intervene.
Security and procedural questions
Authorities are now probing how an Omani citizen, whose home country maintains diplomatic relations with Israel, was permitted to operate a flight carrying Israeli passengers. The Wall Street Journal cited sources saying Oman had previously banned al‑Hamami from flying over concerns about radical ideological views.
Israeli law requires airlines to submit passenger and crew information, including names and nationalities, at least 48 hours before departure. Prime Minister Netanyahu has asked the head of the National Security Council to appoint an examiner to review all civil‑aviation security procedures in the wake of the incident.
U.S. response
U.S. Vice President JD Vance expressed concern over potential security lapses, noting that “that person should not have been flying an airline” and emphasizing the need for stricter vetting of individuals who pose flight‑risk threats.
The incident underscores the importance of robust aviation security protocols and international cooperation to prevent similar threats. Ongoing investigations in the UAE and Saudi Arabia aim to determine the full extent of the pilot’s intentions and any possible network connections.
Original reporting: NBC10 Boston — read the source article.
