New Zealand authorities have launched an investigation into the flight training undertaken by Hamam al-Hammami, the co-pilot allegedly involved in an attempted hijacking of an Israel-bound Flydubai plane. Police confirmed he was in New Zealand on a student visa for 175 days, from 30 November 2018 to 23 May 2019, to complete flight training for a UK-based company that is no longer operating in the country.
The alleged attempt to take control of the flight to Tel Aviv, with 182 people onboard, occurred on 30 September. Passengers and crew reportedly intervened to stop the alleged actions of Mr Hammami, 29, an Omani national. The United Arab Emirates' prosecutor general stated that Mr Hammami allegedly used a crash axe in the attempted "terrorist attack", during which the pilot was stabbed mid-air.
The flight's captain, Smit Machchhar, who also trained in New Zealand, stated that he felt a "big blow" to the back of his head after Mr Hammami left his seat to pray. Despite injuries, Captain Machchhar was able to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers to overpower Mr Hammami. A reserve Flydubai pilot then landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was detained.
New Zealand joins multiple countries, including Australia, in investigating Mr Hammami's background and intentions. Australian security agencies launched an investigation after it emerged he spent about two years as a student in Australia until 2017, leaving without completing an engineering degree. Australia's Executive Council of Australian Jewry has called for a thorough investigation into Mr Hammami's associations in the country.