A FlyDubai co-pilot who allegedly made a violent attempt to crash a passenger aircraft was previously fired from a position with Oman Air for holding extremist views, multiple sources told CBS News. The Wednesday flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was approaching Israel when the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the flight captain and attempted to crash the aircraft, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The captain fought off the co-pilot long enough to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers to overpower the attacker. Two off-duty pilots on board then gained control of the aircraft and executed an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. A total of 174 people were on board, and while the pilot sustained stab wounds, no passengers were seriously injured. Multiple sources familiar with the investigation identified the co-pilot as Hamam al Hamami. Al Hamami worked briefly for Oman Air during pilot training before Omani government surveillance discovered he was visiting radical websites. Oman Air transferred him to an office job and subsequently fired him for having extremist views, with his departure occurring around 2024. Sources stated that al Hamami later moved to Dubai, where FlyDubai hired him without conducting a background check through the Omani government.
Source: cbsnews.com
