Investigation Launched Into Omani National Hamam Al-Hammami’s Ties to Australia Following Plane Attack Allegation

Canberra – Australian security agencies have initiated an investigation into the links between Omani citizen Hamam Al-Hammami and Australia after he was accused of assaulting the captain on a Flydubai flight en route to Tehran and attempting to seize control of the aircraft. According to the Australian Federal Police (AFP), a joint Victorian counter-terrorism team comprising the AFP, Victoria Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) is examining Al-Hammami’s connections with Australia.

Reports indicate that Al-Hammami was issued an Australian student visa in 2014. He resided and studied in Australia from 2015 to 2017 and was enrolled at a university in Melbourne. Some sources specify that he pursued engineering studies at RMIT University. Although he left Australia in 2017, his student visa remained active officially until it was formally cancelled in 2019. According to ABC, the visa cancellation was due not to character concerns but because he ceased enrollment in his course and therefore no longer qualified for a student visa.

On September 30, 2026, aboard Flydubai flight FZ 1073 traveling from Dubai to Tehran, Al-Hammami allegedly attacked the captain inside the cockpit. Officials from the United Arab Emirates stated that Al-Hammami used the cockpit’s emergency hatch (crash axe) to assault the captain in an attempt to take control of the aircraft. The plane then rapidly descended. After the injured captain managed to open the cockpit door, passengers and other crew members helped subdue the alleged assailant. Following these events, the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. UAE authorities have classified the incident as an “attempted terrorist attack.”

Investigations into the motives behind the attack, possible accomplices, and Al-Hammami’s background are ongoing across multiple countries. Australian investigators are particularly focused on establishing whether Al-Hammami was involved in any security or extremist activities during his time in Australia, and whether his residency there has any relation to the recent incident. To date, based on publicly available information, no conclusion has been reached that he had adopted extremist views or engaged in criminal activities while in Australia. The investigation remains active, and further details will be released by Australian police when appropriate.