Flydubai responded to reports on the incident involving a flight bound for Tel Aviv, stating that the circumstances remain under investigation and it cannot provide further comment beyond earlier statements. The airline said it is fully committed to assisting the investigation in coordination with government authorities.
Flydubai issued its first public statement since the incident aboard a flight bound for Tel Aviv, saying the circumstances of the event remain under investigation and that it cannot provide further comment beyond earlier messages. The airline stated it is fully committed to assisting the investigation in coordination with government authorities.
The statement came after the UAE Attorney General officially confirmed that the incident was a terrorist attack, revealing that the Omani co-pilot attacked the captain using the aircraft's emergency crash axe. The co-pilot, identified as 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami, has been cooperating with investigators and told them he intended to crash the plane in Israeli territory. As The Zioneer reported earlier on Saturday, al-Hammami was suspended from flying at Oman Air in 2024 after extremist materials were found in his possession. Passengers subdued the co-pilot during the incident and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Investigators are examining how he was later permitted to work as a co-pilot on the route to Israel for Flydubai.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday, a senior Israeli official has ruled out an Iranian connection and indicated that the co-pilot acted alone. Flydubai's operations to Israel remain suspended pending a full security review.
It remains unclear whether al-Hammami acted alone or was directed by a larger network, and how Flydubai's hiring process allowed him to serve on the Tel Aviv route.
10 developments
- StrongFlydubai officially halts all flights to Tel Aviv until further notice
- StrongShin Bet investigating terrorist who attempted to hijack Flydubai flight
- DevelopingIsrael Hayom reports new details linking Flydubai hijacking suspect to Iran
- DevelopingNetanyahu directs appointment of examiner for foreign aviation security review
Source and signal
- Open-source intake