The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which had been bound for Israel from Dubai, attacked the pilot with an emergency crash axe, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general has said, calling the incident a “terrorist attack”.
Two sources have said the co-pilot is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami. Israeli officials have not named the co-pilot but have said he is from Oman. UAE authorities and flydubai have not publicly disclosed the co-pilot’s identity.
Reuters has not been able to independently reach al-Hammami, who is in UAE custody, for comment.
A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is also investigating the man’s links to Australia.
