A UAE investigation concluded that the FlyDubai co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist act during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. UAE federal prosecutor Hamad Al Shamsi said the co-pilot used a crash ax to attack the pilot before trying to seize control of the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The attacker has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, though the airline and UAE government have not officially confirmed this.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously stated the co-pilot was from Oman. Israel's Transportation Minister Miriam Regev called the incident a breach of agreement and requested a Shin Bet investigation. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar noted that many details remain unknown, including whether the attacker held dual citizenship.
The investigation is examining possible motives and any external links, while technical tests of physical and digital evidence continue. Reports that the weapon was a pocket knife had raised security concerns, but authorities confirmed it was a crash ax, which is standard cockpit equipment. Both pilots were transferred to the UAE from Saudi Arabia for questioning.
The aircraft, carrying over 170 passengers, made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport after narrowly avoiding catastrophe.
Source: Bloomberg Markets · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing