A FlyDubai co-pilot who attempted to hijack a Tel Aviv-bound passenger jet with a cockpit crash axe studied at a British university, reports BritPanorama.
Hamam al-Hammami, 29, earned a distance-learning aviation management degree from Buckinghamshire New University in 2023. The UK institution clarified that the qualification involved no practical flight training.
Earlier reporting confirmed that Mr al-Hammami is an Omani national born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother.
A spokesperson for the university indicated, “Our thoughts are with the injured pilot, crew and passengers involved in this incident.” They added that “Hamam al Hammami previously completed a distance-learning course in aviation management. He did not undertake any pilot training at the University.”
Reports suggest Mr al-Hammami was banned from flying by Omani authorities last year due to his radical views. Following his detention, he allegedly conveyed to investigators an intention to crash the airliner in Israel.
The revelations coincide with Israeli investigators arriving in the UAE to interrogate the suspect. Authorities from both nations are determining whether Mr al-Hammami acted as a “lone wolf” or under the direction of an external extremist network.
According to accounts from Emirati prosecutors, two hours into Wednesday’s flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Hammami seized the emergency axe and repeatedly slashed Indian captain Smit Machchhar. This struggle caused the Boeing 737 MAX to plunge sharply toward the Gulf.
Despite severe injuries, Captain Machchhar was able to unlock the flight deck door, allowing passengers to subdue Hammami and stabilise the aircraft before making an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that intelligence services are investigating the possibility that Mr al-Hammami operated under external direction, warning that any accomplices would pay a “heavy price.”
As speculation surrounding Mr al-Hammami’s motives intensifies, former US diplomats and regional analysts suggest the attack may have been a deliberate attempt to derail the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established commercial air routes between Israel and Gulf states.
The joint investigation is currently focused on the circumstances that allowed Mr al-Hammami to pass employment background checks.
Oman Air previously removed Hammami from flight duties after intelligence officials discovered extremist materials on his devices, as noted by reports from leading news agencies. It remains unclear if Omani officials communicated these security concerns to neighbouring states or international carriers.
Subsequently, Mr al-Hammami was reassigned to an administrative role before briefly training at Royal Air Maroc, which ultimately rejected his application. FlyDubai hired him eight months ago.
Former Israeli intelligence officials have remarked that permitting a national from a country without diplomatic ties to Israel onto the Tel Aviv route signifies a critical failure by Israeli and Emirati security agencies.
In the aftermath of the incident, regional aviation authorities have initiated urgent reviews of all aircrew screening protocols.
