Police in New Zealand are investigating the background of Hammam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot accused of a bloody cockpit attack and attempted crash of a Flydubai flight bound for Israel on September 30, 2026. The violent mid-air struggle left the aircraft plunging thousands of feet before passengers and crew members subdued the attacker.
New Zealand Authorities Probe Co-Pilot’s Past Training
New Zealand Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Johnson stated that investigators are actively looking into that period alongside relevant partner agencies following the mid-air incident, after New Zealand authorities confirmed that Hammam al-Hammami spent time in the country.
New Zealand Police are the lead agency for the matter, and the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service has also been approached for comment. Immigration New Zealand declined to answer queries regarding when the 29-year-old Omani national entered the country, the specific type of visa he held, or whether security issues were identified during his visa application process. Captain Smit Machchhar, the victim of the cockpit assault, completed his early flight training in New Zealand 18 years ago with Mainland Air in Dunedin. Mainland Air chief executive Philip Kean described Machchhar as an above-average pilot who was with the company from 2008 to 2009 before serving as a recruitment agent based in India.
Counterterrorism Team Probes Suspect's Australian Education History
A counterterrorism team is investigating Australian links to the suspect, a probe conducted by the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team comprising the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation. Investigations into the background of Hammam al-Hammami extend beyond New Zealand. According to individuals close to the matter, the pilot obtained a student visa back in 2014 and pursued his education in Australia from 2015 to 2017, subsequently leaving the nation when he dropped out of a course, which made him ineligible to maintain his student visa status. Senior intelligence and law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation reported that the suspect had allegedly been found in possession of extremist materials while a trainee. The United Kingdom’s Buckinghamshire New University verified that al-Hammami previously finished an aviation management course via distance learning, though he underwent no flight training at the institution.
Educational institutions have also begun tracing al-Hammami’s movements.
Flight 1073 Suffers Emergency Plunge During Cockpit Assault
The security incident unfolded roughly two and a half hours after Flight FZ1073 departed from Dubai International Airport at 7:05 am local time on Wednesday, bound for Tel Aviv. The Boeing 737 was flying over northern Saudi Arabian airspace when al-Hammami allegedly attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar with the cockpit’s emergency axe while asking for time to pray. According to Flightradar24 data, the aircraft rapidly descended about two and a half hours after takeoff, dropping more than 5,180 metres in less than two minutes, and plunging nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
My first thought was that there was catastrophic damage to the aircraft and something is not right. But then after that the blows kept coming one after the other. That’s when I realised that it’s not the aircraft, it’s the other guy who was in the cockpit with me.
Captain Smit Machchhar, via Nzherald
Passengers remained in Saudi Arabia for around eight hours after landing safely at Tabuk Airport. Citing two security sources, The Times of Israel reported that Israel’s appeal to Saudi Arabia for permission to send Israeli planes to evacuate the passengers was turned down. The passengers later departed for Israel aboard a replacement Flydubai aircraft, landing at Ben Gurion International Airport late on Wednesday.
Co-Pilot Attempted to Crash Plane into Ben Gurion Airport
Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, the UAE Attorney-General, declared that the co-pilot had engaged in a terrorist attempt, assaulted the captain inside the flight deck using the emergency axe, and sought to seize control of the airplane. Israeli media outlets reported that the pilot intended to continue flying normally before crashing into Israel’s main airport, Ben Gurion International Airport. Insiders with knowledge of the situation indicated that the pilot lost his position at Oman’s flag carrier last year due to apprehensions surrounding his ideology, ultimately stepping down after being reassigned to administrative duties over the course of 2024. Al-Hammami had also been removed from flight training over similar concerns and reassigned to another position before moving to Dubai, where Flydubai hired him without vetting him with the Omani government.
President Donald Trump suggested that the co-pilot may be linked to Iran based on what he was hearing, adding that if it is determined Iranian agents were behind the attack, the United States will hit them very hard. Netanyahu stated it was too early to say whether Iran was involved in this specific incident. The suspect was transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE for questioning.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog plans to nominate passengers Yaniv Hayoun, Shota Musayev, Zvika Manes, and Asaf Rajuan for the Presidential Medal for Civil Courage. Captain Machchhar, who is married with two children, is recovering in a Saudi hospital, where he spoke via a phone call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hailing Machchhar for his remarkable heroism, Modi remarked that despite sustaining serious injuries amidst extreme peril, the pilot demonstrated profound bravery and a steadfast determination to safeguard others.