The social media activity of Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani co-pilot accused of attacking his colleague and attempting to crash a Flydubai aircraft carrying 174 people, has come under scrutiny following the September 30 incident.
Saudi media and CNN identified the pilot as an Omani national. His deleted X account reportedly contained posts reflecting strongly religious views as well as comments about women and mixed-gender workplaces.
What did Hamam al-Hammami post on X?
According to CNN, posts from al-Hammami’s deleted X account included criticism of mixed-gender working environments. One post from January 2022 reportedly questioned whether women could be negatively influenced by working in such environments.
In another post from February 2022, he discussed his mother’s efforts to find him a prospective bride who would accept conditions including wearing a niqab and not working after marriage. The reported posts have drawn attention following the incident, although their existence and context are separate from establishing the motive for the alleged attack.
Why was he reportedly removed from Oman Air?
Al-Hammami’s previous employment has also come under scrutiny. CNN, citing two sources, reported that he was dismissed from Oman Air last year following concerns about alleged extremist views. He was reportedly removed from flight training and subsequently assigned to another position within the airline.
His now-deleted LinkedIn profile reportedly stated that he worked for Oman Air for around seven years, leaving in February 2025.
He later reportedly worked with Royal Air Maroc between June 2025 and January 2026. According to reports, al-Hammami was born in the United Arab Emirates to an Omani father and Syrian mother.
What was posted on his LinkedIn account?
Only two posts were reportedly published on al-Hammami’s LinkedIn account, both appearing shortly after Wednesday’s alleged attempt to crash the Flydubai aircraft. One post reportedly contained cockpit footage filmed aboard a Boeing 737 MAX, an aircraft type similar to the one involved in the incident.
The video also featured aircraft operated by Israeli airlines El Al and Arkia. According to the reports, the footage ended with an image of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the former al-Qaeda leader who succeeded Osama bin Laden.
It also reportedly included images of Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, an al-Qaeda-linked suicide bomber responsible for a 2009 attack in Afghanistan that killed seven CIA personnel and contractors, along with two others.
What happened aboard the Flydubai flight?
The social media revelations emerged after the September 30 incident in which al-Hammami allegedly stabbed Captain Smit Machchar and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described the co-pilot as “radicalised”.
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the co-pilot’s background, previous employment and alleged online activity. The reported social media material is being considered as part of the broader scrutiny surrounding the case.
