The Italian daily Corriere Della Sera reports, citing Israeli intelligence, that Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot who attacked a Flydubai flight on September 30, turned off both engines during the assault, attempted to kill the captain with an emergency axe, and intended to crash the aircraft into a skyscraper in downtown Tel Aviv. The report adds that he planned to execute the attack before Israeli fighter jets could intercept.
New investigative details published Sunday by the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera, citing Israeli intelligence sources, reveal that the Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami shut down both engines of the Flydubai Boeing 737 during his assault on the captain, attempted to kill him with the cockpit emergency axe, and intended to deliberately crash the aircraft into a skyscraper in downtown Tel Aviv. According to the report, the attack was designed to be executed before Israeli Air Force fighter jets could scramble and intercept the plane.
As The Zioneer reported earlier today (Sun 15:25 Jerusalem), preceding summaries of the investigation had already described al-Hammami's plan to crash the aircraft into a Tel Aviv skyscraper. The Corriere Della Sera report adds specific operational details — the engine shutdown and the targeted timing — providing a more refined picture of the plot's scope.
Al-Hammami was subdued by Israeli passengers and crew during the flight, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. He has reportedly confessed to investigators that his goal was to crash the plane into a strategic target in Israel. The inquiry into whether he acted alone or on behalf of a foreign entity is ongoing.
24 developments
- StrongFlydubai, UAE authorities confirm co-pilot attacked captain with crash axe
- DevelopingBen-Gvir: Israel Should Seek Extradition of Flydubai Co-Pilot
- StrongFlydubai passengers tell New York Post: crew asked us to release terrorist co-pilot
- DevelopingN12 publishes cockpit footage from Flydubai flight, shows wounded pilot and passengers' arrest fears
Source and signal
- Open-source intake