How an Omani flagged for extremism ended up piloting a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai jet
An Omani pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, is under investigation for allegedly attacking his captain and attempting to crash a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv. Investigators are scrutinizing his extremist social media history and how he was cleared to fly despite his background.
Why it matters
The incident raises serious questions about aviation security protocols and the vetting of international flight crews.
Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing Captain Smit Machchhar and attempting to crash a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, had already come to the attention of authorities for his radical extremist tendencies. Despite this he was cleared to fly to Israel by flydubai.Investigators are trying to establish how an Omani pilot ended up as first officer on a flight to Israel, given that Israel and Oman do not have diplomatic relations.Hamam al-Hammami's backgroundAl-Hammami is a 29-year-old Omani national, according to US media reports. He entered pilot training with Oman Air and worked for the airline for several years. A LinkedIn profile bearing his name, which CNN said was verified by a source as belonging to him, showed a seven-year stint at Oman Air ending in February 2025. It also listed a subsequent job with Royal Air Maroc, from June 2025 to January 2026.
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