Former Oman Air co‑pilot attacks Flydubai flight with axe after training removal
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- Hamam al Hammami, 29, was removed from Oman Air pilot training over concerns about extremist ideology after seven years with the airline and left the carrier in February 2025. He then joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and departed that airline in January 2026 before serving as co‑pilot on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- During the flight, al Hammami attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with an axe at 33,000 feet, causing the aircraft to descend to 17,000 feet within about a minute. The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia with 182 people on board.
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