A Flydubai co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, has been accused of attempting to attack his captain with an emergency axe and trying to take control of Flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel. Al-Hammami, an Omani national, had previously been barred from flying in Oman due to concerns about alleged extremist views. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) described the September 30 incident as an attempted terrorist operation, prompting questions about pilot vetting and aviation security protocols.
Investigators are working to determine the motive behind the incident and whether anyone else was involved. Al-Hammami had been moved to an administrative role at Oman Air due to the concerns raised about him. A Gulf diplomat stated that he underwent standard security checks before being hired, but the extent of his vetting remains unclear.
Reports indicate that al-Hammami had a LinkedIn profile that stated he worked at Oman Air for seven years before leaving in February 2025 and subsequently joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025, leaving in January 2026. The nature of the alleged extremist views and whether Oman communicated these concerns to other countries or airlines is not known.
Background checks for commercial pilots differ by airline and country, lacking a unified global standard. An anonymous captain from an international airline noted that pilots typically need to obtain aviation medical certification from their licensing country’s regulator, which in the UAE is the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Some airlines require police clearance certificates as part of pre-employment screening.
Security checks for personnel with unescorted access to restricted areas are mandated, and psychological assessments, drug and alcohol testing, and other evaluations may be required depending on jurisdiction. Israel, known for stringent aviation security measures, has raised questions about how al-Hammami was permitted to operate a flight to Israel, especially given that Oman has no diplomatic relations with Israel.
Israeli authorities received the crew and passenger lists for the Flydubai flight prior to its departure, as mandated by a law passed in 2023. The information is meant to be accessible to Israeli security bodies to identify potential security risks. However, two security sources indicated that the Transportation Ministry, which is responsible for checking foreign flight crews, lacks its own intelligence capacity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel has arrangements with foreign airlines to prevent pilots from countries without diplomatic relations from flying to Israel, calling the incident a “loophole.” He mentioned that Israel would strengthen its security checks in response to the incident.
The UAE has not yet disclosed a motive or whether al-Hammami acted alone. UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash emphasized the need for a firm stance against extremism, stating that the incident serves as a warning that the fight against extremism continues.