Kathmandu. Australia is investigating the country’s ties to the co-pilot of the Flydubai flight. Who was trying to take control of Israel’s Tel Aviv-bound plane.
The co-pilot is alleged to have attacked the captain of the flight with a knife during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The passengers later took him into custody and were able to take control of the plane safely.
Australian authorities have not released the identity of the co-pilot. However, several media outlets, including Reuters, CNN and The New York Times, have identified him as Hammam al-Hamami.
A United Arab Emirates (UAE) prosecutor has said it is investigating the incident and the possible motive behind it. In a statement to the BBC, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed the investigation into “this man’s Australian connections”.
AFP said state police and the country’s security agencies were also involved in the investigation. It said updates would be provided “in due course”. Sources familiar with the matter told Australian media that the co-pilot was issued a student visa in 2014 and studied in Australia from 2015 to 2017. He then left the country.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that the copilot’s student visa was revoked in 2019. This is because he had not been enrolled in any courses and was not eligible for a visa. -Agency
