Flydubai first officer planned to crash jet into Ben Gurion airport, reports say
Version 3: New reports added that investigators believe Ben Gurion airport may have been the intended target, that the suspect planned the attack before joining flydubai and had studied in Australia, and that Israeli leaders ordered a security review amid political criticism.
In short
A flydubai first officer attacked the captain of a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on Sept 30 and later told UAE investigators he intended to crash the aircraft, with later reports citing Israeli officials saying Ben Gurion airport may have been the target. UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi classified the case as an attempted terrorist attack, and the suspect was identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam Al Hammami. The flight, carrying 174 people, made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; investigators are examining whether he acted alone and looking into his past in Oman and Australia.
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On Sept 30, a flydubai flight departed Dubai for Tel Aviv at 07:05 local time. During the flight, a first officer attacked the captain, who fought back and opened the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to enter and subdue the attacker, according to Newsis. A passenger, Yaniv Hayoun, helped control the aircraft by pulling the control column, and an off-duty pilot on board also helped, Newsis reported. The aircraft, carrying 174 people, made an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. [ 2 , 7 , 13 , 16 ]
The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam Al Hammami. UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi classified the case as an attempted terrorist attack and said the first officer used an emergency axe while trying to seize control of the aircraft, according to the UAE state news agency WAM. ABC News reported, citing multiple sources, that Al Hammami told UAE investigators he intended to crash the aircraft; Kyunghyang Shinmun said he was cooperating. He was handed over to Abu Dhabi on Oct 1 under international aviation law because the aircraft was registered in the UAE, and UAE authorities said they are investigating the circumstances, the motive and whether there were accomplices. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 11 ]
Later reports focused on the intended target. Israeli outlets Ynet and Channel 12 reported that Al Hammami planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion airport after pretending to land normally, or, if that failed, to crash into a US military base in Jordan, according to Hankook Ilbo. The same report said he visited Ben Gurion airport several times from June to gather information, applied to flydubai because it flew to Tel Aviv, planned the attack before joining the airline, and postponed an earlier attempt in July because a crew member he knew was on board. CNN, citing Israeli officials and sources, reported that Ben Gurion airport may have been the target; Newsis noted that it remains unclear why the captain was attacked over Saudi airspace if the airport was the goal. [ 13 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]
Reports also examined Al Hammami’s past. He had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about radical ideology, then worked at Oman Air in an administrative role before joining flydubai, the Korean outlets reported. How he was assigned as first officer on the security-sensitive UAE–Israel route is still under investigation, ABC said, as cited by Kyunghyang Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily. Hankook Ilbo, citing Australian ABC, said he studied at RMIT in Melbourne from 2015 to 2017, and that Australian police formed a joint counterterrorism team to investigate possible radicalisation there; Yonhap also reported the Australian study and investigation. Dong-A Ilbo, citing Al Arabiya, said he was radicalised while in Syria, and Korea Economic Daily and Dong-A Ilbo headlines said his social media included praise for the Sept 11 attacks or al-Qaeda-related posts. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 13 , 15 ]
The question of whether anyone else was involved remains open. A former Shin Bet official, Shalom Ben Hanan, told NBC that the suspect appeared to have acted alone as a “lone wolf” inspired by online content, Yonhap reported. CNN said Israel had not found ties to a terror group that trained, funded or organised the attack, according to Newsis. Israeli and US officials have not ruled out possible Iranian involvement: Netanyahu said Israel was checking whether the first officer was instructed by anyone, and Trump raised the possibility of Iranian involvement and threatened new airstrikes if Iran was behind the attack. A senior US official told NBC there was no sign Iran directed or was involved. [ 11 , 13 , 16 ]
The incident has also become a domestic political issue in Israel. Netanyahu ordered a full review of security procedures for all foreign civilian flights into Israel, according to Hankook Ilbo. Israeli opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, criticised the Transport Ministry over security checks and pilot supervision and called for Transport Minister Miri Regev to resign, the report said. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the case has become a debate over security responsibility a month before a general election, with the Transport Ministry and Shin Bet trading blame and opponents accusing the government of security incompetence. [ 13 , 14 ]
Why it matters
The case has prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to order a review of security procedures for foreign civilian flights into Israel, and Israeli opposition leaders have criticised the Transport Ministry over security checks and pilot supervision. Australian police have opened a counterterrorism investigation into the suspect’s time in Melbourne, and UAE-led investigators are still examining whether he acted alone or had backing.
Key facts
- A flydubai first officer attacked the captain aboard a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on Sept 30, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with 174 people on board. [ 7 , 13 , 16 ]
- The suspect was identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam Al Hammami, who was handed over to Abu Dhabi on Oct 1 under international aviation law. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 11 ]
- UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi classified the case as an attempted terrorist attack and said the first officer used an emergency axe while trying to seize control, according to the UAE state news agency WAM. [ 2 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 16 ]
- ABC News reported, citing multiple sources, that Al Hammami admitted to UAE investigators that he intended to crash the aircraft. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 11 ]
- Israeli media reports cited by CNN and other outlets said investigators are examining whether Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv was the intended target, including a plan to crash into the airport or buildings after a feigned landing. [ 13 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]
- Al Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about radical ideology, then worked at Oman Air in an administrative role before joining flydubai. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 10 , 13 ]
- Hankook Ilbo, citing Australian ABC, reported that Al Hammami studied at RMIT in Melbourne from 2015 to 2017, and that Australian police formed a joint counterterrorism team to examine possible radicalisation there. [ 13 , 15 ]
- A former Shin Bet official told NBC that the suspect appeared to have acted alone as a “lone wolf”, while Israeli and US officials have not ruled out possible Iranian involvement; a senior US official said there was no sign Iran directed or was involved. [ 11 , 13 , 16 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- A first officer attacked the captain aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel, and the flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 16 ]
- UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi classified the case as an attempted terrorist attack and said the first officer used an emergency axe to try to seize control of the aircraft, according to the UAE state news agency WAM. [ 2 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 16 ]
- The suspect was named as Hamam Al Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 16 ]
- ABC News reported, citing multiple sources, that Al Hammami admitted to UAE investigators that he intended to crash the aircraft. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 11 ]
- Al Hammami was handed over to Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital and flydubai’s state of registration, on Oct 1 and is being questioned by UAE authorities. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- UAE authorities are investigating the circumstances, the motive and whether there were accomplices. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 11 , 16 ]
- Al Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about radical ideology and later worked at Oman Air in an administrative role before joining flydubai. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 10 , 13 ]
- Reports citing Israeli media and officials said investigators are examining whether Ben Gurion airport was the intended target. [ 13 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]
- The aircraft was carrying 174 people when it made the emergency landing. [ 7 , 16 ]
Still unclear
- The exact motive for the attack. NBC and CNN reports say investigators are still examining the motive and that it has not been clearly established.
- Whether Al Hammami acted alone. A former Shin Bet official told NBC he appeared to be a lone wolf, and CNN reported no known ties to a terror group, but officials said final investigation results are pending.
- Whether Iran or another state was involved. Trump and Netanyahu raised the possibility; a senior US official told NBC there was no sign Iran directed or was involved.
- Whether Ben Gurion airport was the intended target. Israeli Channel 12, Ynet and CNN reports describe this as a possibility under investigation, not a confirmed finding.
- Why the first officer attacked the captain in Saudi airspace if the target was Ben Gurion airport. Newsis said this remains unclear.
- A reported alternative plan to crash into a US military base in Jordan and a July postponement because a crew member was on board. These details appear only in Hankook Ilbo’s account of Israeli media reports.
- Reports that Al Hammami praised the Sept 11 attacks or posted al-Qaeda-related material. These appear in Korea Economic Daily and Dong-A Ilbo headlines or summaries with no detail in the documents available.
- How Al Hammami was assigned as first officer on the UAE–Israel route after his prior flying ban. ABC said this was still under investigation, as cited by Kyunghyang Shinmun and Seoul Economic Daily.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- flydubai flight FZ1073 departs Dubai for Tel Aviv; the first officer later attacks the captain, and the aircraft makes an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. [ 16 ]
- The suspect is handed over to Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital and flydubai’s state of registration, under international aviation law. [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- ABC News reports, citing multiple sources, that the first officer admitted he intended to crash the aircraft; Netanyahu says Israel is checking whether he was instructed by anyone. [ 2 , 11 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo reports the axe attack and the admission of a crash attempt. [ 1 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the UAE prosecutor’s terrorism classification, the emergency axe account and the prior flying ban in Oman. [ 2 ]
- UAE authorities brief that the case is classified as an attempted terrorist attack; WAM carries the attorney-general’s account. [ 5 , 10 , 11 ]
- Korea Economic Daily reports the aircraft plunged about 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds and that 174 people were on board, and its headline says the suspect praised the Sept 11 attacks on social media. [ 7 ]
- Yonhap reports NBC’s account that the suspect likely acted alone as a “lone wolf” and that US officials say the investigation is at an early stage. [ 11 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports Israeli media accounts that Al Hammami planned to crash into Ben Gurion airport, had studied in Australia and had visited the airport since June. [ 13 ]
- Newsis reports CNN’s account that Ben Gurion airport may have been the target and that the motive remains unclear. [ 16 ]