The attack was prevented when the captain, Indian national Captain Smit Machchhar, managed to open the cockpit door despite sustaining severe injuries to his stomach and head. This allowed crew members and passengers to enter the flight deck and subdue the alleged attacker. Eyewitnesses and Israeli officials confirmed that a crash was averted during the mid-air incident, which involved 174 passengers, the majority of whom were Israeli nationals.
The suspect, identified by multiple reports as Hamam al-Hammami, was transferred from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi on Thursday. The Saudi Interior Ministry stated that his health had “improved,” though his specific medical condition remains unclear. Prior to the incident, sources familiar with the matter indicated that the pilot had previously been banned from flying by Oman due to concerns that he had adopted radical ideological views. Oman Air did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding whether the accused held a position with the carrier.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Friday that the attacker had undergone Islamist radicalization and intended to crash the plane along with its passengers. “We are investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price,” Netanyahu said. However, a senior U.S. official briefed on the Israeli investigation stated there are currently no indications that Iran directed or was involved in the attack, despite President Donald Trump’s suggestion on Thursday that renewed strikes against Iran would occur if the nation were behind the incident.
Captain Machchhar, who was widely praised for his actions, spoke for the first time from a hospital in Abu Dhabi on Friday. In a video call released by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar described the moment as a fight for his life while simultaneously trying to save the passengers. “I was acting for my own life, but at the same time, I knew I couldn’t let all of them die,” he said. His family in Mumbai confirmed he is recovering well, with the family hoping for his discharge within two weeks.
Investigations are ongoing in both the UAE and Israel to establish the full circumstances, motives, and any links related to the incident. Israeli Government Spokesman David Mencer confirmed that Israeli investigators would join their Emirati counterparts in the inquiry. Flydubai stated it is in close coordination with relevant government authorities and regulators, noting that it is not in a position to comment further while the investigation continues.
The incident has cast a shadow over an already strained regional travel industry. The event highlights persistent security concerns regarding cockpit integrity and passenger safety in the region, prompting renewed scrutiny of airline security protocols and background checks for flight crews operating in the Middle East.
