Flydubai Co-Pilot Accused In Attack Was Previously Banned From Flying In Oman
What Happened
The flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking Indian captain Smit Machchhar on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight has been identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. According to reports citing Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya and the Wall Street Journal, he had previously been barred from flying by Omani authorities due to concerns over his alleged radical views and was earlier flagged as a security risk.
Key Takeaways
The latest revelations have intensified scrutiny of airline crew vetting procedures and raised questions about how a pilot previously flagged by Omani authorities came to be operating international commercial flights.