The Flydubai co-pilot accused in the cockpit attack had reportedly been barred from flying in Oman over extremist concerns.
DUBAI: New details have emerged about the co-pilot accused of attacking the captain aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, raising questions over pilot screening and information sharing between airlines and aviation authorities.
The co-pilot, identified in reports as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, had previously worked with Oman Air but was removed from flying duties because of concerns that he had adopted extremist views, according to people familiar with the matter. He was reportedly reassigned to an administrative role before later joining Flydubai.
Questions over vetting
It remains unclear how much information about the earlier concerns was available to Flydubai when Al-Hammami was hired or what vetting procedures were conducted.
Neither Oman Air nor Flydubai had publicly detailed the employment screening process at the time of reporting. Investigators are now examining how he was cleared to operate the Dubai-Tel Aviv route.
Captain attacked with cockpit crash axe
UAE authorities said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft during the September 30 flight.
The aircraft, carrying 182 people, entered a sharp descent before the wounded captain managed to unlock the cockpit door. Passengers and crew then helped restrain the co-pilot, while two off-duty pilots assisted in stabilising the aircraft before it made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The UAE prosecutor general has described the incident as an attempted “terrorist attack”, while the precise motive and whether the suspect had links to any extremist organisation remain under investigation.
Officials from several countries are assisting the UAE-led inquiry.
Impact to expect
The investigation is likely to increase scrutiny of airline pilot background checks, cross-border intelligence sharing and cockpit security procedures, particularly for crews operating politically sensitive international routes.
