Oman Citizen Suspected in Flydubai Incident, Alleged 9/11-Style Attack
Oman citizen accused of 9/11-style attack on Flydubai flight. Pilot attacked colleague with axe, causing plane to drop 14,000 feet.
POLICY WIRE — Dubai, United Arab Emirates — A pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv is under investigation for allegedly attempting a 9/11-style attack, according to sources cited by NBC News.
The Omani national, identified by multiple agencies and a Middle East diplomat as al-Hammami, is currently being questioned in the UAE after being transferred from Saudi Arabia. The aircraft was diverted to a Saudi airport following a midair emergency last week, landing safely.
Emirati authorities reported that the pilot attacked his co-pilot, Capt. Smit Machchhar, using a crash axe and attempted to seize control of the plane. Flight data showed the jet dropped 14,000 feet in 29 seconds, causing panic among the 174 mostly Israeli passengers onboard.
Machchhar, an Indian pilot with 17 years of experience, said he initially thought the pilot was praying, as Muslims often do. However, he soon felt a severe blow to his head, which left him nearly blind and disoriented. He later realized the attacker was not damaging the plane but targeting him directly.
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A video of Machchhar’s call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was released by his office. In a separate conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar described how he managed to open the cockpit door on the second attempt despite repeated attacks.
Focus has turned to security lapses that may have allowed the suspect to board the flight. According to The Wall Street Journal, al-Hammami had previously been banned from flying in Oman due to concerns about radical views. It remains unclear how an Omani citizen, from a country without diplomatic ties to Israel, was permitted to operate a flight carrying Israeli passengers.
Netanyahu has ordered a review of all security protocols for Israel’s civil aviation. Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance expressed concern over the incident, stating that the individual should not have been allowed to fly and calling for a U.S. review of similar procedures.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
