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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →News reports published October 3, 2026, identified the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain on Flight FZ1073 as Hamam al-Hammami or Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national. Fox News reported that he was 29, citing an anonymous Middle Eastern source. The name and nationality were also attributed to unnamed sources, and the identity had not been officially confirmed in the reporting available that day.
Who was the Flydubai co-pilot accused in the attack?
The Associated Press reported the name as Hamam al-Hammami, while Reuters used Hammam al-Hammami. Both described him as an Omani national and attributed the identification to people familiar with the matter rather than a public official statement. Reuters said UAE authorities had not immediately confirmed the name; Al Jazeera likewise reported that there was no official confirmation of his identity.
Fox News reported that he was 29, citing a Middle Eastern source. That age was not independently corroborated in the AP and Reuters reports cited here, so it should be treated as a reported detail, not a confirmed public record. Associated Press; Reuters; Al Jazeera; Fox News.
What officials say happened aboard Flight FZ1073
Flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, with 174 people aboard, according to the Associated Press. The UAE prosecutor general said investigators found that the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with the cockpit crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. The prosecutor general characterized the alleged act as terrorism.
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That is the UAE authorities’ investigative allegation, not a final court finding. The investigation, including the question of motive, was continuing in the October 3 reporting. Associated Press; Reuters.
How the flight landed safely
After the attack, the aircraft descended sharply. Al Jazeera, citing FlightRadar24 tracking data, reported a descent of more than 17,000 feet in about two minutes; that measurement does not by itself establish the exact sequence or cause of the descent. Passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, and two reserve pilots took control, according to Al Jazeera. The plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. The Associated Press reported that three passengers were treated for minor injuries.
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Captain Machchhar later described opening the cockpit door while the aircraft was descending. As quoted by Al Jazeera, he said: “When I was down, I could feel that the aircraft was plummeting, and I knew this is the last chance to do something.” He said he managed to open the door and people entered. Al Jazeera; Associated Press.
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The AP reported that a regional official and a person familiar with the matter said Oman had barred the co-pilot from flying over concerns about alleged extremist views. The sources gave no details about those views. An anonymous Gulf diplomat told the AP that investigators had not concluded the inquiry and had found no connections with militant groups at that point. These reports do not establish a motive, and nationality alone is not evidence of one.
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The AP also reported that Royal Air Maroc said he completed three months of theoretical training in 2025 but was not selected for employment. Buckinghamshire New University said he completed a distance-learning aviation-management course and “did not undertake any pilot training.” Those details describe education and an employment application; they do not establish why the attack occurred or assess the quality of any airline’s screening. Oman had not publicly commented in the AP report. Associated Press; Al Jazeera.
Quick Recap
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How certain are the reported details?
- Name and nationality: Reported by AP and Reuters based on unnamed sources; not officially confirmed in the cited coverage.
- Age: Reported as 29 by Fox News, citing an anonymous source; not independently corroborated by AP or Reuters in their identity reports.
- Attack and attempted takeover: UAE prosecutor general’s account of investigators’ findings; the case was still under investigation, not a final judicial determination.
- Motive and alleged extremist views: Unresolved. Anonymous-source reports described concerns but did not establish motive or a militant-group connection.
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