Royal Air Maroc: Flydubai co-pilot completed theoretical training with us but was not hired - Sarmad

Royal Air Maroc reported that a Flydubai co-pilot completed a three-month theoretical training program with the airline in 2025 as part of pre-employment procedures, but his application for employment was not accepted after the period ended.

The airline stated in a statement to The Associated Press that no further details were provided, thereby refuting reports about his prior work with the company.

For its part, the UK’s Buckinghamshire New University confirmed that the co-pilot had previously completed a distance-learning course in aviation management, but had not undergone any flight training.

In this regard, sources indicated that the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attempting to bring down a flight bound for Tel Aviv is Hammam Al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. He had previously been banned from flying by Oman Air due to suspicions that he harbored extremist views, before being hired by Flydubai.

ABC News reported that he told investigators his intention was to crash the plane in Israel, while CNN noted that accounts bearing his name published videos after the incident showing Israeli aircraft and materials linked to al-Qaeda.

Al-Hammami had attacked the pilot inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to descend sharply, before passengers on board intervened, subdued him, and forced an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

No extensive information has been made available regarding his background, and his Instagram account was removed following the incident.