Flydubai co-pilot who attacked the flight captain has been identified
The co-accused in the knife attack on Indian flight captain Smit Macchhar aboard the flydubai Dubai — Tel Aviv flight has been identified by Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya, citing sources, as Omani citizen Hamam Alhamami.
A Wall Street Journal report notes that Alhamami had previously been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about his ideological views. ABC News separately reported that he had been suspended from his job at Oman Air after being classified as a security threat.
The attack, which took place on September 30 aboard flight 1073, triggered an in-flight emergency: the aircraft descended sharply by more than 16,000 feet (about 5,000 meters) in roughly 30 seconds before passengers intervened, and two off-duty pilots helped land it safely in Saudi Arabia.
