Flydubai's first pilot Hammam al-Hamami planned to crash a passenger plane in July, but abandoned it at the last minute because of a crew member. This was reported by the “Wall Street Journal“, citing people familiar with the investigation.
Al-Hamami flew on the Dubai-Tel Aviv route in July. According to the American publication's sources, he had previously looked for a job with an airline that flies to Israel, and after being hired at Flydubai in February, he wanted to be included on this route. Investigators also gained access to his electronic devices.
The attack on board flight FZ1073
On September 30, al-Hamami attacked the captain of flight FZ1073 during the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. There were 174 passengers on board, including 27 children. According to the UAE Attorney General's Office, the co-pilot used a crash axe and attempted to take control of the plane. The office described the incident as an attempted terrorist attack.
The captain managed to resist the attacker and open the cockpit door. A group of passengers and airline employees then neutralized the co-pilot. Two pilots who were traveling as passengers took control, and the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
According to CBS News, the airliner suddenly lost altitude by about 14,000 feet, after which the Israeli Air Force tried to establish contact with the cabin. A special commission was convened, fighter jets were put on alert, and Israeli airspace was closed. The machines were recalled after the plane changed course towards Saudi Arabia.
Israel discussed shooting down the plane
Two Israeli sources told CBS News that if the threat continued, the plane could have been shot down, even though there were more than 150 Israeli citizens on board. They said the decision would be seen as the "lesser evil" if the airliner were to be directed at a populated area, airport or strategic site. The final order could only be given by the prime minister.
According to the preliminary Israeli investigation, al-Hamami acted alone. When questioned in the UAE, he said he had planned the attack before he started working at Flydubai, and cited the war in Gaza as a motive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker had been "radicalized into Islamist training."
The allegations of the July plot are part of an ongoing investigation. It has currently been publicly confirmed that the pilot has been charged in connection with the September 30 attack, while details of his intentions on the earlier flight have been presented by the media through sources familiar with the investigation.
Sources: wsj.com