New Zealand authorities have opened an investigation into the flight training of Hamam al-Hammami

New Zealand authorities have opened an investigation into the flight training of Hamam al-Hammami, the 29-year-old Omani national accused of attempting to hijack a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. Police confirmed that al-Hammami spent 175 days in New Zealand between November 30, 2018 and May 23, 2019 to complete aviation training for a company that is no longer operational.

The incident occurred mid-flight when al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain, Smit Machchhar, with a crash axe. According to the United Arab Emirates’’ prosecutor general, the captain was stabbed. The UAE prosecutor general called the incident a “terrorist attack”. The flight’s captain said that shortly after Hammami had left his seat to pray, he felt a “big blow” to the back of his head. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit’s security door, allowing passengers and a reserve pilot on board to subdue the co-pilot.

International scrutiny of al-Hammami’s background

New Zealand joins a widening international probe into al-Hammami’s history and potential motives. Australian security agencies also launched an investigation after confirming the suspect lived in the country for about two years until 2017, during which time he abandoned an engineering degree at RMIT University in Melbourne. The Executive Council of Australian Jewry has called for a thorough review of his associations in Australia, citing concerns regarding extremist literature and potential radicalization.

In the United Arab Emirates’, interrogators are working to determine if the attack was planned in advance. Two Israeli officials told Dawn that al-Hammami confessed to planning the attack before he was hired by the state-owned airline. He told interrogators he searched for airlines that fly to Tel Aviv before applying to flydubai. Sources briefed on the UAE investigation indicated that the suspect had previously operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year but opted not to proceed with an attack at that time. While U.S. President Donald Trump suggested in public comments that he believes Iran may be responsible for the incident, Vice President JD Vance stated on Monday that he had not seen anything conclusive regarding Iranian involvement. Vance spoke to reporters before leaving on a flight to Alaska.

Attacker planned to crash plane into Ben-Gurion airport

Details emerging from the investigation suggest the flight was a potential target for a 9/11-style incident. Israeli sources informed CBS News that the country was prepared to shoot down the plane had it entered Israeli airspace while under the control of the attacker. A source briefed on the UAE probe said al-Hammami had planned to crash the flight into Ben-Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled, and airspace was closed as the flight plunged approximately 14,000 feet during the struggle in the cockpit. The aircraft was eventually diverted to Saudi Arabia, where Saudi fighter jets were also deployed.

The Times of Israel reported that agents from the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency, have traveled to the UAE to participate in the interrogation of al-Hammami. While some passengers reported concerns regarding the behavior of other crew members, investigations conducted by UAE authorities—and supported by Israel—have concluded that no other members of the flight crew were involved in the attack.

Status of flydubai operations

Following the emergency landing in Tabuk, all passengers and crew were reported safe. Flydubai flight FZ1073 had 172 passengers and crew on board. Flydubai Chief Executive Officer Ghaith Al Ghaith confirmed that the airline has temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice. Captain Smit Machchhar, who survived the stabbing, has returned to the UAE following medical clearance. The airline is cooperating fully with the official investigation led by regional authorities. Al Ghaith thanked the authorities in Saudi Arabia for their “swift and professional response” and expressed gratitude to passengers who assisted the crew.

Smit Machchhar