Australia and New Zealand investigate Flydubai co-pilot’s links
publishers 19articles 20first reported 4 Oct, 13:15 UTCdeveloping since 4 Oct · 9 editions
Authorities in Australia and New Zealand are investigating the time an Omani co-pilot suspected of attacking the captain of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 spent in the two countries.
The Israel-bound flight from Dubai made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after the co-pilot allegedly attacked captain Smit Machchhar with an emergency axe and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. Passengers and crew restrained the suspect, while a reserve pilot helped bring the plane to safety. Deutsche Welle reported that the aircraft entered a near-vertical dive lasting about 30 seconds during the struggle.
The suspect, identified in media reports as Hamam al-Hammami, is in custody in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE prosecutor general has characterized the incident as an attempted terrorist act, but Emirati authorities have not publicly established a motive or said whether they believe he acted alone.
Australia’s Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, comprising federal and state police and the ASIO intelligence agency, is examining the man’s Australian connections. RMIT University said he enrolled at the Melbourne institution but did not complete an engineering qualification. Australian media reported that he arrived on a student visa in 2014, enrolled in 2015 and left in 2017.
New Zealand police also confirmed that the suspect had spent time in the country and said they were reviewing that period alongside other agencies. They did not disclose when or where he had stayed.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 2 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 2 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 24 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- 2, 2 with the article's own text
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- 2
- This version written
- 24 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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WHAT THE EDITOR DID
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