Dubai: Flydubai co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly told investigators that he intended to deliberately crash a passenger aircraft carrying more than 170 people and said he was not afraid of death, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The alleged admission reportedly came during Hammami’s interrogation following the incident in which he is accused of attacking the aircraft’s captain, Smit Machchhar, while the flight was in the air.
According to the WSJ report, a Saudi official briefed on Hammami’s interrogation said the Omani national acknowledged that he had intended to bring down the aircraft deliberately.
Co-pilot allegedly disclosed intention to crash plane
The report, citing the Saudi official, said Hammami told investigators that he wanted to intentionally crash the aircraft and was not afraid of dying.
The details emerged as investigators continued examining the circumstances surrounding the incident and the co-pilot’s alleged actions aboard the flight.
The aircraft was carrying more than 170 people when the alleged attack took place, raising serious concerns over the safety of passengers and crew.
The incident reportedly involved an attack on Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit. Previous reports said Machchhar fought back after being attacked and managed to regain control of the situation.
Captain Machchhar credited with preventing disaster
Machchhar, an Indian pilot, has previously described how the situation unfolded inside the cockpit.
According to earlier reports, the co-pilot allegedly attacked him while the aircraft was airborne, following which the captain struggled to prevent the flight from being brought under control by the attacker.
The captain was ultimately able to regain control of the aircraft, preventing the alleged attempt from resulting in a crash.
The incident has since become the focus of an investigation involving authorities in the region, with investigators examining the co-pilot’s background, actions and possible motive.
Investigation continues
The reported interrogation account is expected to form part of the broader investigation into the incident. The WSJ report attributed the information about Hammami’s alleged admission to a Saudi official who had been briefed on the questioning.
The report does not by itself establish the final findings of the investigation, and the allegations against Hammami remain subject to the ongoing legal and investigative process.
Authorities are expected to examine evidence from the flight, cockpit events and the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack as they work to establish what happened and why.
The reported statement that the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft could add a significant dimension to the investigation, particularly as authorities seek to determine whether the alleged actions were premeditated.
The incident has also raised broader questions about aviation security, cockpit safety and procedures for identifying and addressing potential risks involving flight crew.
For the more than 170 passengers and crew members aboard the aircraft, the alleged attack created a potentially catastrophic situation. The reported actions of the captain in regaining control became central to preventing the aircraft from being brought down.
Investigators are continuing to piece together the sequence of events, while the reported interrogation account provides another element for authorities to examine as they establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.