New York, Oct 3: An Omani citizen has been identified as the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on Wednesday, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
The co-pilot was identified as Hamam al-Hammami, who was reportedly born to an Omani father and a Syrian mother. The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said that he had previously been barred from flying by Omani authorities over what they described as radical ideological views.
Attack inside Flydubai cockpit
The incident took place on Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying 174 passengers. According to the report, al-Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit, seriously injuring him.
Machchhar fought back and managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and overpower the alleged attacker.
The aircraft transmitted emergency signals and made a rapid descent of more than 17,000 feet, from an altitude of around 34,000 feet, following the incident.
The flight was subsequently diverted to Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Saudi authorities took al-Hammami into custody.
Captain Smit Machchhar speaks to PM Modi
On Friday, Indian Captain Smit Machchhar spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone from a hospital in the UAE.
During the conversation, Machchhar described the moments after the cockpit attack and said he was fighting for his life but remained determined not to let other people die.
The captain has been undergoing treatment at a hospital in the UAE following the incident.
Motive remains unclear
The exact circumstances that triggered the attack and the alleged co-pilot’s motive have not been publicly established.
Machchhar has not disclosed what led to the incident. The investigation into the cockpit attack and the co-pilot’s background is continuing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also praised Machchhar, describing the Indian pilot as a “true hero” for his actions during the emergency.
The incident has drawn attention to cockpit security and the procedures used to protect flight crews and passengers during an in-flight emergency.
