FlyDubai co-pilot intended to crash jet into Ben Gurion, investigators say
Version 3: Investigators now say the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, Israel was reportedly prepared to shoot the plane down, the attacker was reportedly flagged as a security risk by Oman Air before joining FlyDubai, and the airline has suspended Tel Aviv operations at the authorities’ request.
In short
Investigators believe the FlyDubai co-pilot who attacked his captain aboard a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion International Airport, according to NPR, Fox News and ABC News. The attacker was subdued by crew and passengers and the aircraft landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation while questioning him. Israeli and U.S. officials say early indications point to a lone actor, and ABC News reported he had been flagged as a security risk by Oman Air in 2024 before joining FlyDubai.
Read the full story 3 min read
A FlyDubai co-pilot attacked the captain of Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv and tried to take control of the aircraft, in what the United Arab Emirates attorney general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, called an attempted terrorist attack, according to NBC News and Fox News. Al Shamsi said the attacker used a crash ax and tried to take the flight controls, NBC News reported. Crew members and passengers subdued him and the plane landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, CBS News, Fox News and ABC News reported. The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation and the co-pilot is being questioned there, according to CBS News and NBC News, while Fox News reported that Israeli investigators have not questioned him directly. [ 1 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
NPR, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported that the investigation found the attacker intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion International Airport. Fox News, citing Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, reported that he told investigators he planned to continue toward Israel as if nothing was wrong, obtain the necessary clearances to approach the airport and crash into a building or another plane there; Fox News said the information came from Saudi and Emirati investigations, and that Reuters separately reported a source briefed on the UAE investigation saying the same. ABC News, citing two senior U.S. officials and an Israeli source, reported the same intended target. CBS News reported that he planned the attack for months and, citing sources, should never have been cleared to fly to Israel. [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 13 ]
Israeli investigators believe he acted as a lone wolf, people familiar with the matter told CBS News, and CBS News reported that Israel has described him as a “lone wolf” extremist. Multiple U.S. officials briefed on the investigation and a former Israeli security official told NBC News that early indications suggest he acted alone rather than as part of a larger organization or on behalf of a foreign government, though the officials cautioned the investigation remains at an early stage. “The assessment is that he operated alone. Right now, it looks like a case of ‘lone wolf’ terrorism inspired by content found online,” said Shalom Ben Hanan, a former official in the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, adding that final results are still needed to determine whether an organization or a state was behind it. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 11 ]
ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, reported that the suspect, Omani national Hamam Al-Hammani, had been flagged by Oman Air as a security risk and was suspended as a trainee copilot for that airline in 2024 for possessing extremist materials, and said officials are trying to determine how he was subsequently permitted to fly for FlyDubai and how he ended up as first officer on a plane headed for Israel. CBS News, citing sources, reported that he worked briefly for Oman Air, that Omani government surveillance found he visited radical websites, that the airline transferred him to an office job and that he resigned and left the airline around 2024. The Wall Street Journal reported that investigators want to know why he took a radical turn and why he was hired to fly the Dubai–Tel Aviv route. [ 1 , 2 , 10 ]
FlyDubai said in a statement to ABC News on Saturday that the circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation and that it was not in a position to comment further beyond its published statements. In an earlier statement attributed to its chief executive, the airline said it had temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice at the request of the authorities and that a full official investigation led by the relevant authorities was under way. CBS News reported that Israel was ready to implement a long-practiced protocol after the captain was attacked, and that the captain, Smit Machchhar, has recounted his version of events; the airline said 172 people were on board, while NBC News reported 174 mostly Israeli passengers, and CBS News reported no passengers were seriously injured. [ 1 , 6 , 10 , 12 ]
Why it matters
An attempted attack on an international passenger flight drew in Israeli, Emirati and U.S. investigators and prompted FlyDubai to suspend Tel Aviv operations at the request of authorities. Reports that the co-pilot intended to crash into Israel’s main airport, and that a previous employer had flagged him as a security risk, raise questions about how crews are vetted for sensitive routes, though officials say the investigation is at an early stage.
Key facts
- The UAE attorney general, Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash ax and tried to take control of the flight controls in an attempted terrorist attack. [ 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- Investigators believe the attacker intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion International Airport, according to NPR, ABC News and Fox News, citing people familiar with the investigation. [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- Crew members and passengers subdued the attacker and the aircraft landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. [ 1 , 9 , 10 ]
- Israeli investigators believe he acted as a lone wolf, and U.S. officials and a former Israeli security official told NBC News that early indications suggest he acted alone. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 11 ]
- The United Arab Emirates is leading the investigation and the co-pilot is being questioned there, while Israeli investigators have not questioned him directly, according to Fox News. [ 1 , 6 , 9 ]
- Outlets have identified the suspect as Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami, with differing spellings of the name; authorities have not released his identity. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- FlyDubai said it had temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice at the request of the authorities. [ 10 ]
- ABC News reported he was flagged by Oman Air as a security risk and suspended as a trainee copilot in 2024 for possessing extremist materials, while CBS News reported Oman Air moved him to a desk job and that he left around 2024. [ 1 , 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The UAE attorney general said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash ax and attempted to take control of the flight controls in an attempted terrorist attack, and that Emirati authorities are leading the investigation into its circumstances, motives and any links. [ 6 , 9 ]
- Investigators believe the attacker intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion International Airport. [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]
- The attacker was subdued and the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. [ 1 , 9 , 10 ]
- Israeli investigators believe the attacker acted as a lone wolf, and U.S. officials briefed on the investigation and a former Israeli security official said early indications suggest he acted alone rather than for an organization or foreign government. [ 1 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 11 ]
- The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. [ 1 , 8 , 9 ]
Still unclear
- The suspect’s identity and the spelling of his name Authorities have not released his identity; NBC News named him as Omani citizen Hamam al-Hammami, CBS News gave Hamam al Hamami, ABC News gave Hamam Al-Hammani and The Wall Street Journal gave Hamam Al-Hammami, all citing unnamed sources.
- How many people were on board CBS News reported the airline put the figure at 172, while NBC News reported the flight carried 174 mostly Israeli passengers.
- The weapon used in the attack CBS News reported the co-pilot stabbed the captain, while NBC News and Fox News, citing the UAE attorney general, said he attacked the captain with a crash ax.
- Whether he planned the attack before he was hired and for how long Fox News, citing Channel 12 and Reuters, reported that he told investigators he had planned the attack before being hired by FlyDubai and CBS News reported he planned it for months, but Fox News said Israeli investigators have not questioned him directly.
- Whether an organization or a state was behind the attack NBC News reported that U.S. officials cautioned the investigation is at an early stage, that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said investigators were examining whether the attacker had been sent by someone, and that President Donald Trump raised the possibility of Iranian involvement.
- His time at Oman Air ABC News reported he was flagged as a security risk and suspended as a trainee copilot in 2024 for possessing extremist materials, while CBS News reported he was moved to a desk job after surveillance found he visited radical websites and resigned around 2024, citing different unnamed sources.
- Israel’s reported readiness to shoot down the aircraft Reported by CBS News citing Israeli sources, with no other outlet in the documents confirming it.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- CBS News publishes details of Wednesday’s midair attack, saying the co-pilot is being questioned in the UAE and citing sources who name him as Hamam al Hamami and describe earlier work for Oman Air. [ 1 ]
- The Wall Street Journal reports that investigators want to know why the co-pilot took a radical turn and why he was hired to fly the Dubai–Tel Aviv route. [ 2 ]
- CBS News reports that an early Israeli investigation indicates the attack was likely a lone wolf attack. [ 3 ]
- NBC News reports that early indications suggest the co-pilot acted alone, citing U.S. officials and a former Shin Bet official, and cites the UAE attorney general saying he used a crash ax. [ 6 ]
- CBS News reports Israel now describes the attacker as a “lone wolf” extremist, and that the captain, Smit Machchhar, has recounted his version of events. [ 7 ]
- NPR reports that the investigation found the attacker intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion International Airport. [ 8 ]
- Fox News, citing Channel 12 and Reuters, reports that the co-pilot told investigators he planned to approach Ben Gurion and crash into a building or another plane there. [ 9 ]
- ABC News reports that the suspect had been flagged by Oman Air as a security risk and suspended in 2024, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, and carries FlyDubai’s statement that it suspended Tel Aviv operations. [ 10 ]
- CBS News reports, citing Israeli sources, that Israel was prepared to implement a long-practiced protocol to shoot down the plane. [ 12 ]
- CBS News reports that the co-pilot planned the attack for months and should never have been cleared to fly to Israel. [ 13 ]