Two more flydubai co-pilots detained after attack on Tel Aviv flight

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Two more flydubai co-pilots detained after attack on Tel Aviv flight: report

October 14, 2026

DUBAI — Two Maldivian flydubai co-pilots have reportedly been detained in the United Arab Emirates as investigators examine the attack on a passenger flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026, according to Maldivian news outlet Adhadhu.

The men reportedly worked with Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani co-pilot accused of attacking the flight’s captain, Smit Machchhar.

Both men reportedly lived in the same building as al-Hammami and were among six Maldivian pilots employed by flydubai.

The detentions of the pilots were first reported in the Maldives on October 3, with a follow-up report on October 8 stating that the Maldivian embassy in the UAE had notified the men’s families.

Authorities have not publicly explained what the two pilots are suspected of doing or whether they had prior knowledge of the alleged attack.

UAE authorities have not officially confirmed the reported detentions.

The incident took place aboard flight FZ1073, traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. UAE prosecutors say al-Hammami struck Machchhar with a crash axe.

Passengers and crew intervened, while two other pilots aboard the aircraft helped divert it to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely after a rapid descent.

According to the Emirati attorney general, al-Hammami intended to crash the aircraft into the passenger terminal at Ben Gurion Airport.

Prosecutors allege that he had taken two earlier flights to study the route and airport before the incident. They also cited his fascination with the September 11 attacks as a factor in his decision to pursue aviation.

Oman Air had removed al-Hammami from flying duties in 2024 after finding extremist material. UAE prosecutors nevertheless said he held the necessary pilot’s license, provided a certificate of good conduct and passed the required professional and security checks.

Prosecutors say al-Hammami confessed and became radicalized while living in Australia before deliberately seeking a cockpit position to carry out the attack.

On October 1, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot accused of trying to crash the Israel-bound plane had undergone Islamist radicalization.

The case has also drawn attention to the Maldives’ policy toward Israeli travelers. A ban on entry for Israeli passport holders took effect on April 15, 2025.

The restriction applies to ordinary Israeli travelers rather than specifically targeting Israeli officials responsible for government policy.

The Maldives is a Sunni Muslim nation where Islam is the state religion, and its legal system incorporates elements of Islamic law.

The Maldives has produced a disproportionately high number of Islamist foreign fighters relative to its population.

Estimates suggest that at least 300 Maldivians traveled to Iraq and Syria between 2013 and 2018 to fight for ISIS. In 2023, the U.S. Treasury has sanctioned 20 Maldivian citizens for ties to the Islamic State.

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