New Zealand police are reviewing the background of the co-pilot accused in the FlyDubai FZ1073 cockpit attack after confirming he spent 175 days in the country on a six-month student visa while completing part of his flight training.
The disclosure adds a new international dimension to the investigation into the September 30 emergency aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight, which was carrying more than 170 people when a violent confrontation broke out inside the cockpit.
Two sources cited by Reuters have identified the co-pilot as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. UAE authorities and FlyDubai, however, had not publicly named the co-pilot as of October 6.
Police Confirm 175 Days in New Zealand
Assistant Commissioner Michael Johnson said immigration records show the co-pilot arrived in New Zealand on November 30, 2018, and departed on May 23, 2019.
Police said he entered under a six-month student visa and was in the country to complete part of his flight training for a UK-based company that is no longer operating in New Zealand.
Johnson said officers are now reviewing records and conducting inquiries into the period he spent in the country.
The review does not mean police have found evidence of wrongdoing during his stay. Authorities have not publicly named the training company or alleged that suspicious activity occurred in New Zealand.
Reuters reporting carried by CNA confirmed the visa dates, training purpose and ongoing New Zealand police review.
FZ1073 Cockpit Attack Left Captain Seriously Injured
FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when authorities say the co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar inside the cockpit.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Al Shamsi said investigators found that the co-pilot used an emergency crash axe and attempted to take control of the Boeing 737.
UAE authorities have described the incident as an attempted terrorist act while investigators continue examining the alleged motive, planning and possible links to other individuals.
Machchhar was seriously injured but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others aboard to intervene. The co-pilot was subdued and the aircraft was eventually diverted safely to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
The aircraft also lost thousands of feet in altitude during the emergency before stabilising.
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New Zealand Training History Comes Under Scrutiny
The latest inquiry is focused on reconstructing the suspectâs aviation education, travel and professional history before he joined FlyDubai.
Overseas flight training is routine in commercial aviation, and holding a student visa is not evidence of wrongdoing. Investigators are examining whether records from the 2018-19 stay contain information relevant to the later FZ1073 incident.
Captain Machchhar also has a New Zealand aviation connection. Local media have reported that he previously trained with Mainland Air in Dunedin earlier in his flying career.
Australia Is Also Examining the Suspectâs Background
The investigation has expanded beyond New Zealand. An Australian multi-agency counterterrorism team is examining the co-pilotâs earlier links to the country.
RMIT University in Melbourne has confirmed that a person identified in media reports as al-Hammami was previously enrolled there but did not successfully complete an engineering qualification.
Authorities have not established any connection between his studies at RMIT and the alleged cockpit attack.
Identity and Motive Remain Under Investigation
The suspect is reported to be in UAE custody while investigators examine digital evidence, possible planning and whether anyone else was involved.
Because FlyDubai and UAE authorities have not publicly released the co-pilotâs name, reports identifying him as Hamam al-Hammami should continue to be attributed to media sources rather than treated as an official airline identification.
Swikblog has also covered other major aviation emergencies, including the British Airways BA295 emergency over Ireland and the Nantucket air ambulance investigation.
For the FZ1073 case, the latest confirmed development is that New Zealand police are now actively reviewing the co-pilotâs 175-day stay, student visa and flight-training history as the international investigation continues.
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