flydubai co-pilot flew to Tel Aviv twice before failed suicide attack, says UAE

The Omani pilot was attempting a suicide attack on the flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on September 30, planning to hijack the aircraft and crash it into Israel's Ben Gurion Airport terminal, the probe found.

In Short

• Suspect planned to hijack flight and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport
• Flew to Tel Aviv twice to familiarise with route, airport before third bid
• Shifted towards extremism, terrorist propaganda while studying in Australia

The Omani co-pilot who attacked the captain aboard a flydubai flight on September 30 had planned to hijack the aircraft flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv and crash it into the terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport in a suicide attack, the United Arab Emirates' attorney general said on Friday.

This was the co-pilot Hammam Al Hamali's third flight to Tel Aviv, following two earlier trips he had used to plan the attack, he added.

The plot, which prosecutors believe was inspired by the 9/11 attacks in the United States, was thwarted after Indian captain Smit Machchhar fought off the co-pilot and overpowered him inside the cockpit using an emergency axe. The flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, with all passengers safe.

UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the investigation established that the 29-year-old suspect had prepared for the attack in advance and had taken two earlier flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the route and the airport, according to the Emirates News Agency. The third flight was when he attempted to execute the plan.

The statement provides the most detailed official account yet of the alleged motive, preparations and sequence of events surrounding the mid-air incident. Prosecutors said the co-pilot had confessed to planning and carrying out the attack alone, although investigators are continuing to examine whether anyone else was involved.

The findings have also raised questions about how the suspect passed the airline’s recruitment and security checks. However, the UAE attorney general said the procedures reviewed by investigators had not revealed any indications of extremist views or an intention to carry out an attack.

Investigators traced the suspect’s ideological shift towards extremism to 2017, when he was studying in Australia. Al Shamsi said the investigation found that he had been influenced by extremist literature and online content glorifying terrorist organisations and suicide attacks.

Prosecutors said he subsequently prepared himself psychologically and physically for the operation, including by consuming material promoting terrorism and training in boxing under a private coach.

The investigation also found that the suspect had taken two previous flights to Tel Aviv to familiarise himself with the route and the airport. He attempted to carry out the attack during his third flight to the Israeli city on September 30.

The UAE attorney general said the suspect had admitted to acting alone. However, authorities are continuing to verify his account, investigate possible accomplices and examine digital evidence, recordings and technical reports.

Al Shamsi added that investigators had examined the suspect’s professional background and the circumstances surrounding his recruitment by flydubai.

According to the attorney general, the suspect had met the airline’s professional and security requirements, including holding a pilot’s licence, submitting a certificate of good conduct and completing the required checks. Investigators found that these procedures had not identified signs of extremist beliefs or an intention to carry out a terrorist attack.

News agency Reuters reported that the suspect had previously worked for several airlines in different countries, including Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, before joining flydubai in January 2026.

The investigation is examining the circumstances of his recruitment alongside the evidence relating to the alleged attack. Flydubai was not immediately available for comment on Friday, Reuters reported. The UAE prosecution’s statement did not accuse the airline of wrongdoing.

The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying a majority of Israeli passengers, when the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain while the aircraft was over Saudi Arabia. The assault caused the aircraft to plunge approximately 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds.

The captain resisted the attack and attempted to call for help. A pilot travelling on the aircraft noticed the cockpit door opening and closing repeatedly in an unusual manner. He approached the cockpit and attempted to gain entry using the access code.

After entering, the pilot witnessed the assault and intervened with the assistance of a cabin crew member and several passengers. They rescued the injured captain and restrained the suspect.

The captain and co-pilot operating the return flight subsequently regained control of the aircraft, diverted its route and landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has launched a separate safety investigation into the incident involving the flight, according to sources cited by Reuters.

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