Man accused in Flydubai hijacking attended RMIT Melbourne
Hamam al-Hammami, accused of stabbing a pilot during an attempted hijacking, was previously enrolled at RMIT Melbourne in an engineering program.
RMIT has confirmed that Hamam al-Hammami, the man accused of attempting to hijack Flydubai Flight FZ1073, was previously enrolled at the Melbourne university in an engineering program. He did not complete his degree.
Al-Hammami is an Omani citizen now in custody in the United Arab Emirates, where the flight departed. He allegedly stabbed pilot Captain Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
The attack sent the plane into a steep dive. Passengers on board restrained al-Hammami while reserve pilots stabilised the plane and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli and UAE officials have called the incident a terror attack. Israeli sources say he acted alone and investigators are still determining his motive.
- Omani citizen
- Suspect nationality
- 2015 to 2017
- Melbourne attendance
- Safe landing in Saudi Arabia
- Landing location
Why it mattersA person with an Australian education connection attempted a major aviation attack, raising questions about radicalization, vetting and oversight in university and travel systems.
AustraliaThe suspect was in Australia between 2015 and 2017 as a student; the incident highlights aviation security risks affecting international travel from and to Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 h ago
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