Omani co-pilot accused of attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to CNN and other media reports. The 29-year-old is now at the centre of an investigation into the September 30 incident, while reports have brought renewed scrutiny on his earlier career, social media activity and alleged extremist views.
A string of deleted tweets is now giving a clearer picture of the man accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar inside a Flydubai cockpit. CNN, citing multiple sources familiar with the matter, reported that Hamam al-Hammami had very specific ideas about what he wanted from a future wife, and he had talked about it openly online before the posts were quietly taken down.
According to CNN, al-Hammami wanted a wife who would wear a niqab and give up working once married. His mother had reportedly been searching for a match on his behalf, and the conditions were not an easy sell to most families.
READ ALSO: FlyDubai co-pilot who nearly crashed plane was barred from flying by Oman over extremism concerns
Who is Hamam al-Hammami and where did he work?
CNN reported that al-Hammami was an Omani citizen born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother. The network said a LinkedIn profile bearing his name showed that he worked for Oman Air for about seven years before leaving in February 2025.
