The man accused of attempting to crash a flydubai passenger aircraft and kill around 180 passengers and crew on board has been identified as 29-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, who allegedly attacked Indian captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit during a flight to Israel.His identification has brought his aviation career under scrutiny, with questions emerging over how a pilot who had reportedly faced restrictions on flying in Oman over concerns about alleged extremist views was subsequently able to join flydubai and serve as a commercial co-pilot.United Arab Emirates prosecutor general Hamad Saif Al Shamsi on Saturday said, “Investigations into the incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073 found that the co-pilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist attack.”In a statement carried by the UAE’s state news agency, the official said the co-pilot attacked the pilot inside the cockpit with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The investigation into the incident, including the suspect’s motives, was ongoing, and the findings would be released once the “necessary procedures” had been completed, he said.The prosecutor general’s comments were the first by Emirati investigators to describe the incident as an attempted terrorist attack.According to US media reports citing people familiar with the investigation, al-Hammami previously worked with Oman Air, where concerns were reportedly raised over extremist material and views. He was allegedly barred from flying and removed from a training-related position before being assigned an administrative role.He later left Oman Air and worked with Royal Air Maroc before joining flydubai. He had been with the UAE-based airline for only about eight months when the September 30 incident occurred.As the probe widens, attention has shifted from the dramatic cockpit struggle to the recruitment, vetting and security-clearance processes that enabled al-Hammami to serve as a commercial pilot. Investigators are seeking to establish what information about his past employment record was available to flydubai at the time of his recruitment and whether any concerns flagged earlier had surfaced during background checks.An Israeli official said multiple agencies, including Shin Bet, Mossad, the military and the Transportation Ministry, were examining how al-Hammami came to be part of the crew operating a flight to Tel Aviv.The case has also drawn attention to the diplomatic backdrop. Oman does not recognise Israel and has no diplomatic relations with it.Al-Hammami’s aviation career is being pieced together as part of the investigation. He reportedly spent about seven years with Oman Air, leaving in February 2025, before moving to Royal Air Maroc and subsequently Flydubai.His educational background has also come under scrutiny. He is reported to have studied aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in Britain and graduated in 2023. The course, however, was not pilot training.Israeli officials have alleged that al-Hammami intended to crash the aircraft in Israel and have linked the incident to alleged Islamist radicalisation. His motive and whether anyone else was involved remain under investigation.Meanwhile, Captain Machchhar has been hailed in the UAE for preventing the aircraft from being brought under the attacker’s control.UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Dubai Hamdan bin Mohammed visited Machchhar at an Abu Dhabi hospital and praised the Indian pilot for his courage and handling of the crisis.”During a visit to Captain Smit Machchhar… the flydubai pilot who embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life,” Hamdan said, adding that the UAE leadership had its “full appreciation and praise” for him.He said Machchhar was “part of our team” and “part of the story of our nation”, describing the UAE as “a nation of compassion… a nation of peace… and a nation of life”.Flydubai has suspended its Tel Aviv operations following the incident as the investigation continues.