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Co-pilot accused of trying to hijack Flydubai plane probably acted alone, Israeli sources say
Investigators say the co-pilot stabbed the captain and tried to crash the jet before passengers and crew overpowered him.
On Wednesday, a FlyDubai co-pilot attempted to crash a flight approaching Tel Aviv, though Israeli investigators now believe the incident was a lone-wolf suicide attempt rather than a hijacking.
Sources identified the co-pilot as Hamam al Hamami, an Omani citizen who resigned from Oman Air around 2024 after government surveillance discovered he was visiting radical websites.
The captain fought the attacker before passengers and crew subdued him, leading to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot shouted, "Kill me, kill me!"
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the attacker "underwent Islamist radical indoctrination," while President Trump suggested Thursday the co-pilot may have links to Iran.
The suspect is undergoing a second round of interrogation in the United Arab Emirates as Israel sends representatives to participate in the ongoing investigation.