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Flydubai pilot who 'attacked captain with axe in suspected terrorist attack' studied at UK university

Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot after he attacked the captain with a crash axe on a 182-passenger flight, officials said.

  • On Wednesday, FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 carrying 182 people to Tel Aviv diverted to Saudi Arabia after co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain with a crash axe, an incident UAE authorities branded "a dangerous terrorist act."
  • Al-Hammami, an Omani national born in the UAE, had been banned from flying last year by Oman over concerns he held extremist views, according to reports.
  • Buckinghamshire New University, where Al-Hammami completed a three-year distance-learning course in aviation management, recently had its license to sponsor international students suspended on Wednesday.
  • Passengers and crew subdued the attacker as the plane dropped from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute, successfully preventing the aircraft from crashing.
  • Investigators are analyzing physical and digital evidence to determine the co-pilot's motives and potential ties to extremist organizations, while Israeli officials suggest the incident will likely lead to heavier crew screening.
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The Sun broke the news in London, United Kingdom on Saturday, October 3, 2026.
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