Australia investigating Flydubai co-pilot's links to country
Australian authorities are investigating the links between Australia and a Flydubai co-pilot who attempted to hijack a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked the captain with an axe before being subdued by passengers.
Why it matters
The incident raises significant international security concerns regarding aviation safety and potential radicalization of individuals with past ties to Western countries.
Image source, Social Media Image caption, The Flydubai plane was diverted to Saudi Arabia after passengers managed to take back control from the co-pilot
Australian authorities are investigating the links between the country and a Flydubai co-pilot who attempted to take control of a plane travelling to Israel.
The co-pilot is alleged to have attacked the captain with a crash axe during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv before passengers managed to overpower him and successfully take control of the plane.
The Australian authorities have not identified the co-pilot, who has been named by multiple media outlets including Reuters, CNN and The New York Times as Hamam al-Hammami.
The prosecutor in the UAE has said it is investigating the incident and any possible motives.
In a statement to the BBC, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed its investigation into "the man's links to Australia".
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