Co-Pilot in Flydubai Incident Barred from Flying in Oman Due to Extremist Concerns

A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 was involved in a serious incident on September 30, 2026, while on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. A passenger reported that one of the pilots attempted to crash the plane, leading to a dramatic emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Both pilots were injured during the incident, but fortunately, none of the passengers were hurt. Israeli officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, described the event as an attempted terrorist attack.

The co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami from Oman, had previously been barred from flying in Oman due to concerns about his extremist views. Reports indicate that Omani authorities had removed him from a position at Oman’s national airline last year because of these concerns.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the suspect had undergone radical indoctrination and attempted to crash the aircraft. The investigation revealed that the co-pilot had also spent time in Syria, raising further alarms about his potential connections to extremist groups.

As the investigation continues, officials are examining the co-pilot’s background and motives to understand how he was able to board the flight despite his past.