Flydubai attack: Israel had Omani co-pilot’s details before flight, so how did he get cleared?
The UAE had shared information about the people travelling on the flydubai flight with Israeli authorities before it left Dubai. The information included nationalities.
by Zee Media Bureau, Tarique Anwar · Zee NewsNew Delhi: Israeli authorities had access to passenger and crew information before a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was attacked in mid-air, according to the Associated Press. The list, according to the report, included the names and nationalities of those on board.
The disclosure has provided investigators new details about the September 30 incident involving Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami and Indian Captain Smit Machchhar. The former allegedly attacked the latter in the cockpit with an emergency crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. The plane later made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is leading the investigation and has described the incident as a “terrorist attack”. Investigators from several countries are examining the co-pilot’s background, the airline’s hiring checks and the security procedures that allowed him to operate a flight to Israel.
Citing regional officials, the news agency claimed that the UAE had shared information about the people travelling on the flydubai flight with Israeli authorities before it left Dubai. The information included nationalities.
Officials in Tel Aviv did not flag any passenger or crew member after receiving the information, according to those officials.
The revelation is important because al-Hammami was an Omani national, and Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. The country has agreements with foreign airlines restricting pilots from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel from operating flights into the country.
Israeli authorities are now examining how those rules were applied to flydubai’s crew.
The Times of Israel reported that dozens of Omani pilots had previously flown to Israel despite the restrictions. The report said airlines were generally trusted to enforce the rules, with Shin Bet not carrying out individual background checks on every foreign pilot.
Who was supposed to check the crew list?
The revelation has also exposed a dispute between Israeli agencies over responsibility for checking foreign flight information.
Israel’s Shin Bet said that the Transportation Ministry was responsible for vetting passenger and crew information received from foreign airlines. Transportation Minister Miri Regev said her ministry had not received a passenger list for the flight and had not been warned about a possible security threat involving anyone on board.
Dvir Rubenstein, who heads aviation security at the Transportation Ministry, told Army Radio that the ministry does not have the tools or capacity to carry out detailed checks on every passenger and crew member before each flight.
ALSO READ: 'Untie the terrorist': Crew begged passengers to free flydubai co-pilot after mid-air axe attack
The issue has a longer history. Israeli reports said responsibility for security checks on foreign airlines had moved from the Shin Bet to the Civil Aviation Authority under the Transportation Ministry. Internal talks later involved the National Security Council, Shin Bet, Mossad and other government bodies over how those checks should be handled.
A 2024 state comptroller review also examined whether the Transportation Ministry was meeting its responsibilities for security checks involving international commercial flights. The ministry has rejected claims that it lacked the ability to perform its duties and said its procedures had been approved by relevant security bodies.
Oman had barred al-Hammami from flying
The co-pilot’s previous record has become another major part of the investigation.
Quoting people familiar with the case, the AP said that Oman had previously barred al-Hammami from flying because of doubts over his alleged “extremist views”. He was moved to an administrative role at the Oman Air before later joining the flydubai.
A Gulf diplomat cited by news agency said al-Hammami underwent standard checks before being hired by the flydubai. Those checks appeared to concentrate on criminal convictions and did not fully examine possible signs of radicalisation, according to him.
Investigators have not so far established a connection between al-Hammami and any terrorist organisation. The Washington Post also reported that al-Hammami had been barred from flying with the Oman Air because of doubts about his “radical views” before he later joined the flydubai.
The attack happened after the flight had departed Dubai for Tel Aviv. According to investigators, al-Hammami attacked Machchhar with the emergency axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
The aircraft then lost more than 16,000 feet in around 30 seconds. Despite being injured, the Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and crew then intervened and restrained the attacker. Two off-duty pilots who were travelling on the aircraft helped stabilise and land the plane after the incident.
The aircraft was carrying 182 people. The Indian pilot suffered serious injuries in the attack and has since spoken about the incident during his recovery. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised him for preventing the aircraft from being brought down.
The UAE investigation is now examining how al-Hammami was hired by the flydubai after his earlier removal from flying duties in Oman, how his nationality was handled for a Tel Aviv-bound flight and how information about the crew was processed before the aircraft left Dubai. The probe involves authorities in Saudi Arabia and Israel. Western agencies are also assisting the investigation.
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