Christine Drews Sieger
A co-pilot attempted to hijack an Israel-bound flight after attacking the captain mid-air with a crash axe.
A routine flight to Tel Aviv nearly ended in catastrophe this week after a co-pilot launched a violent attack mid-air.
Hamam al-Hammami, 29, allegedly grabbed an onboard crash axe and set upon captain Smit Machchhar.
Passengers and crew intervened to overpower him as the aircraft lost several thousand meters of altitude in less than 30 seconds.
The aftermath was caught on camera. Shocked passengers tended to the bloody captain on the floor while others restrained the suspect. UAE authorities quickly labeled the incident an attempted terrorist attack.
Investigators are currently examining the pilot’s background and potential motives, according to the Daily Mail.
Online footprint and radicalization
Long before the attack, online footprints pointed toward extreme views. Posts tied to al-Hammami on social media contained violent rants against women, calling for them to be “stomped on” and praising physical abuse.
Other messages praised foreign invasions and supported harsh religious enforcement.
According to the Daily Mail, he also shared content referencing known militant leaders shortly after the incident.
Israeli officials noted that his online profiles clearly showed signs of radicalization. Yet, these warning signs seemed to slip past basic background checks.
Questions over security
Screening procedures are now facing intense scrutiny. The Omani national had previously been removed from active flying at Oman Air over concerns about potential ties to radical groups. He was shifted to a desk job instead.
Even so, he managed to move between different airlines across the region.
Flydubai’s hiring process only verified that he lacked a criminal record, meaning his political and religious background was not evaluated during the standard screening process.
Authorities are currently focused on uncovering whether this was a self-directed plot or the work of a broader terrorist cell, the Daily Mail reports.
