Incident with Flydubai Flight Targets Ben Gurion Airport

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have reported that a co-pilot from Flydubai was involved in a serious incident aimed at crashing a plane into Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.

This revelation came on Friday when the UAE’s chief prosecutor shared significant findings from an ongoing investigation into the mid-air attack. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly intended to slam the 182-passenger aircraft into a crowded terminal, aiming to cause maximum casualties.

During the flight, al-Hammami reportedly attacked the lead pilot with an emergency crash axe from the cockpit. His attack was, fortunately, stopped when the captain, along with off-duty crew members and several passengers, successfully overpowered him. The flight was then diverted for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after which passengers were safely taken to Tel Aviv.

Prosecutors indicated that al-Hammami exhibited extreme radicalization, drawing inspiration directly from the September 11 attacks in the United States.

Authorities noted, “He drew inspiration from the 11 September 2001 attacks, and the idea of carrying out a similar operation using an aircraft became firmly established in his thinking.”

Further investigations indicated that al-Hammami had pursued a career in aviation with the specific intention of carrying out a suicide mission. He had flown the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv route twice before the incident, likely to familiarize himself with the flight path and intended target.

The statement from Friday emphasized, “The idea of carrying out a similar operation using an aircraft became firmly established in his mind, which, according to his confessions, was connected to his decision to pursue a career in aviation.”