The co-pilot who tried to seize control of a flydubai jet flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week was planning to crash it into Israel's Ben Gurion airport in a suicide attack, UAE prosecutors say.
Key facts
- The UAE attorney general says the alleged hijacker planned to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.
- Prosecutors identified the co-pilot as Hammam al-Hammami.
- He is believed to have been targeting the passenger terminal at the airport.
- Al-Hammami attacked the plane's Indian pilot with an emergency axe.
- The injured pilot opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers to overpower the assailant.
The United Arab Emirates attorney general has said the alleged hijacker of a flydubai plane planned to crash the aircraft into Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, according to Sky News.
The co-pilot who tried to seize control of the passenger jet flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv last week was planning to launch a suicide attack targeting the passenger terminal at Israel’s international airport, prosecutors in the UAE said on Friday, according to the Guardian.
The co-pilot was named by prosecutors as Hammam al-Hammami, who the Guardian reports is believed to have been targeting the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.
During the incident, al-Hammami attacked the plane’s Indian pilot with an emergency axe, the Guardian reported. Despite being badly injured, the pilot was able to open the cockpit’s security door.
Opening the door allowed passengers to intervene and overpower the assailant, preventing the attack, according to the Guardian’s account of the prosecutors’ statement.
Sky News described the incident as a 9/11-inspired attack, citing a senior Emirati official. The accounts of the event were released by UAE authorities as the case proceeds.
Why it matters
The case raises serious questions about cockpit security and the vetting of flight crew on international routes. An attempted suicide attack on a major airport, foiled only when passengers intervened, highlights the stakes for aviation safety and regional tensions.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the flydubai co-pilot accused of planning the attack?
UAE prosecutors identified the co-pilot as Hammam al-Hammami, according to the Guardian.
What was the alleged target of the attack?
Prosecutors say the co-pilot planned to crash the aircraft into the passenger terminal at Israel's Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.
How was the attack stopped?
The co-pilot attacked the plane's Indian pilot with an emergency axe, but the badly injured pilot opened the cockpit security door, allowing passengers to overpower the assailant, according to the Guardian.