Investigators are examining allegations that Flydubai First Officer Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national currently under arrest, intended to carry out a mass-casualty attack by crashing Flight 1073 into a target in Israel after allegedly killing the aircraft's captain.

According to reports, al-Hammami told investigators he planned to continue the flight normally after incapacitating Captain Smit Machchhar, allowing him to obtain routine landing clearances and avoid raising suspicion before attempting to crash the aircraft into a building or another aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport.

Investigators were told that the alleged attack was launched while the aircraft was passing over Jordan and approaching Israeli airspace. Al-Hammami reportedly believed that acting shortly before arrival would leave little time for authorities or passengers to intervene.

Reports further claimed that, had he been unable to reach his intended target at the airport, he considered crashing the aircraft into a skyscraper in Tel Aviv or a US military installation in Jordan.

The plan was ultimately disrupted when Captain Machchhar, despite suffering serious head injuries, fought back. He reportedly transmitted distress signals and opened the cockpit door, enabling cabin crew and passengers to overpower the co-pilot. Two off-duty pilots then assisted in safely bringing the aircraft to Saudi Arabia.

Speaking from hospital in Abu Dhabi last week, Captain Machchhar said al-Hammami had asked for permission to pray shortly before allegedly attacking him with a crash axe. The captain initially believed the aircraft had been struck before realising the blows were coming from inside the cockpit.

Israeli media reports claimed that al-Hammami had originally intended to carry out the attack in July but delayed it because he had formed a friendship with one of the crew members.

Sources cited in those reports said he had travelled to Ben Gurion Airport multiple times after joining Flydubai and allegedly used a June visit to gather information and prepare for the operation.

According to another report, al-Hammami claimed he specifically sought employment with Flydubai because the airline operated services between the UAE and Tel Aviv. He allegedly told investigators that he had conceived the plan even before being hired.

An Italian newspaper reported that, after the alleged assault on the captain, al-Hammami switched off the aircraft's engines and pushed the rudders forward. The aircraft reportedly descended around 16,000 feet in less than a minute and reached an extremely high speed before control was regained.

The incident has triggered scrutiny of aviation security procedures across several countries. Preliminary findings have raised questions about how an individual allegedly known for extremist views was able to continue flying commercially.

Officials have reportedly stated that Oman had previously restricted al-Hammami from flying because of concerns linked to his alleged extremist beliefs.

Questions have also been raised over how an Omani citizen from a country without diplomatic relations with Israel was permitted to operate flights carrying Israeli passengers into Tel Aviv.

Reports described al-Hammami, 29, as the son of an Omani father and a Syrian mother. He reportedly spent time in Syria during the civil war and was alleged to have shared online content expressing support for al-Qaeda.

The incident has also prompted debate over passenger and crew vetting procedures. Regional officials said Emirati authorities routinely shared details about passengers and crew members, including nationalities, and that Israeli authorities did not initially raise concerns regarding anyone on board.

Israel's Shin Bet said responsibility for reviewing foreign flight manifests rests with the Transportation Ministry. However, Transport Minister Miri Regev stated that security agencies are responsible for aviation security and that her ministry had not received the relevant passenger information or warnings.

Aviation officials noted that sharing such information is standard procedure, but the head of aviation security at the Transportation Ministry said the ministry relies on security checks conducted in the country of origin and lacks the capability to individually screen every passenger and crew member on every international flight.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities seek to determine how the alleged plot developed, whether warning signs were missed, and what security changes may be required to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Agencies