UAE prosecutors are investigating the September 30 incident on flight FZ1073 as a terrorist act. Investigators are now tracing the Omani citizen’s career, UK studies, and international travel.
Hamam al-Hammami, the flydubai co-pilot accused of cockpit attack on Indian captain Smit Machchhar, was previously flagged as a security risk at Oman Air.
An Israeli official told CNN that al-Hammami had worked at flydubai for about eight months before the September 30 incident. That places his move to the Dubai-based carrier in early 2026. The 2011–2017 timeline circulating online remains pure speculation, not a fact in the investigation.
However, UAE authorities have not confirmed when he was in Syria, how long he stayed, where he lived, or whether the visit had any connection to the incident.
Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said investigators found that the co-pilot “attempted to carry out a terrorist act” by attacking Machchhar inside the cockpit with a crash axe and trying to take control of the aircraft. Flydubai has stated that it cannot discuss details during the active investigation. As investigators probe the background of flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami following his cockpit attack on Captain Smit Machchhar, attention has turned to his past travel. Some regional reports claim al-Hammami spent time in Syria and may have been exposed to extremist ideas there. Authorities are examining physical and digital evidence along with potential networks connected to the incident.
