Co-pilot admits desire to crash flight after attacking Indian captain inside cockpit

Statement Given

A 29-year-old co-pilot from Oman named Hamam Al Hammami stated that he wanted to crash a Flydubai flight and had no fear of death while speaking to investigators. Hammami had previously stabbed the Indian captain of the flight, Smith Machar, inside the cockpit.

Detention and Background

Hammami is currently being questioned in UAE authorities after Saudi officials also questioned him following an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday. Oman authorities had earlier banned him from flying due to strict religious views, and CNN reported that his social media accounts featured posts explaining extremist beliefs. His father is from Oman, his mother is a Syrian citizen, and he lived in Dubai.

Ongoing Investigation

Investigators are trying to understand how Hammami reached extremist ideas, focusing particularly on his Syrian connections. Officials state that he spent some time in Syria during the civil war, and they believe he may have turned toward extremist ideologies while staying there.

Context

Cockpit security and pilot mental screening remain critical focus areas for aviation safety authorities worldwide. Investigations into radicalisation often examine personal backgrounds, foreign travel, and online activity to trace how individuals adopt violent extremist views.