Australia Investigates Flydubai Co-Pilot's Two-Year Stay Before Alleged Cockpit Attack
Australian security agencies are examining the period the flydubai co-pilot spent in the country as a student before he allegedly tried to seize control of an Israel-bound flight, as a second country opens its own investigation into the suspect.
Australian security agencies have opened an investigation into the time the flydubai co-pilot accused of attempting to hijack an Israel-bound passenger jet spent in the country as a student, police have confirmed. The man, identified in reports as Hamam Al Hammami, is alleged to have tried to take control of the aircraft during a flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
The disclosure that he spent about two years in Australia before the alleged attack has prompted authorities there to examine his movements, contacts and activities during that period. Police confirmed the investigation but gave no further detail on its scope or findings.
The flight, carrying 182 people, was plunged into an emergency when the co-pilot allegedly attempted to seize the controls. The aircraft dropped 16,625 feet, or 5,067 metres, in just over 30 seconds before passengers and crew intervened to stop him. Disaster was narrowly averted, according to accounts of the incident.
Reports describe the weapon used in the alleged assault as an axe. The captain, named as Machchhar, received blows to the back of his head «one after the other», according to friends who spoke of their shock at hearing the news. They described the events as a terrorist attack and said they were left broken and in disbelief.
Investigators have compiled a minute-by-minute timeline of the flight based on flight records, showing how rapidly the situation deteriorated on Wednesday. The sequence of events has become central to understanding how the co-pilot was able to act and how those on board were able to restrain him.
A second investigation has been launched by authorities thousands of miles from where the alleged mid-air attack took place. The parallel inquiry means the suspect is now the subject of scrutiny in two countries, adding a further dimension to a case that already spans multiple jurisdictions.
The Australian angle has drawn particular attention because of the length of time the suspect reportedly spent in the country. Security agencies are seeking to establish whether his period as a student involved any activity or associations relevant to the alleged attack. No conclusions have been made public.
The flight had been bound for Tel Aviv with 182 people on board when the alleged attempt occurred. The rapid loss of altitude in little more than half a minute underlined the danger faced by those on the aircraft before the intervention by passengers and crew brought the situation under control.
Friends of the captain have described their reaction to the news, saying they were left broken and in disbelief. Their accounts have added a personal dimension to an incident that is being treated as a terrorist attack by those close to the flight crew.
Authorities in both countries are continuing their inquiries. The investigation into the suspect's time in Australia is running alongside the separate inquiry opened elsewhere, with officials yet to publish detailed findings. The case remains under active examination as investigators piece together the background of the man accused of the cockpit assault.
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