The Omani co-pilot accused of attacking captain Smit Machchhar aboard a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight, has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The co-pilot had been removed from flying duties at Oman Air over concerns about his extremist views and was later hired by Flydubai, where he had been working for about eight months, according to CNN.
The revelation has raised questions over the background checks carried out before he was cleared to fly for the UAE-based airline.
CNN reported that al-Hammami was removed from flight training at Oman Air last year after concerns were raised about his radical views. A regional diplomat told CNN that he was subsequently given another role at the airline.
A LinkedIn profile in his name said he had worked at Oman Air for seven years before leaving in February 2025. It showed a subsequent stint at Royal Air Maroc from June 2025 to January 2026. One CNN source confirmed the profile belonged to the Flydubai pilot, although it has since been deleted.
What happened aboard the Flydubai flight?
The incident unfolded more than two hours into the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight when al-Hammami attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit.
The aircraft rapidly descended from around 34,000 feet to about 16,000 feet before the crew regained control. The flight transmitted emergency codes and was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Machchhar was injured during the confrontation but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to intervene and restrain the attacker.
Speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the incident, Machchhar said, "When I was down on the floor, I sensed that the aircraft was going down. And I knew for sure: 'This is the one last push, Smit. Just do it. The door is right there.'"
What is known about Hamam al-Hammami?
CNN reported that al-Hammami was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother and had spent several years in the UAE. He studied aviation management through a distance-learning course at Buckinghamshire New University and graduated in 2023.
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Two social media posts bearing his name appeared after the incident, although CNN said it was unclear who published them or whether they had been scheduled in advance.
One of the posts contained cockpit footage and ended with images of former al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and another man identified by CNN as Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, who carried out a 2009 suicide bombing.
CNN also analysed thousands of deleted posts from an account bearing al-Hammami's name and reported that they contained strongly religious and misogynistic views.
ET Online couldn't verify this news independently.
The social media accounts and LinkedIn profile have since been deleted.
What are investigators probing?
The motive behind the attack and any possible organisational links remain under investigation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the suspect had undergone "Islamist radical indoctrination". The UAE attorney general has opened an investigation into whether the incident involved terrorist activity or prior planning.
Israeli officials have not publicly established evidence of a link between al-Hammami and any wider organisation.
Questions have also been raised over how an Omani national was cleared to serve on a flight to Israel, given that Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing.
