Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 06:57am on 03 Oct 2026,Saturday International
Flydubai co-pilot Hamam Alhamami, accused of attacking Indian Captain Smit Machchhar during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, had reportedly been barred from flying in Oman over concerns about extremist views. Reports say Alhamami was training with Oman Air in 2024 when authorities allegedly found extremist material and removed him from flying duties, although he continued in an administrative role. He later joined Flydubai and operated the route involved in the September 30 incident. The aircraft suffered a rapid descent before the crew regained control and diverted to Saudi Arabia. Investigations are examining the incident, his background and security-vetting procedures.
