Omani Co-Pilot’s Chilling Move: May Have Cut Engine Fuel Supply To Crash Flydubai Plane

UAE: Another serious claim has come to light in the investigation regarding Omani co-pilot Hamam Al-Hamami, who attacked Indian-origin Captain Smit Mosquito on the flydubai flight going to Tel Aviv. According to Corriere Della Sera's investigation, after the alleged plan to crash the plane in Tel Aviv failed, Hamami may have tried to crash the plane in the desert of Saudi Arabia.

Did the co-pilot deliberately try to bring the plane down?

According to the report, Hamami tried to take control of the plane after attacking Captain Mosquito several times with a crash axe. The injured captain activated a switch, which opened the cockpit door and allowed passengers inside to intervene. According to an investigation by Corriere Della Sera, the co-pilot then allegedly turned off the autopilot and rapidly turned the plane downwards. The report claims that the plane lost about 16,000 feet altitude in less than a minute.

Was the fuel supply of the plane's engine also cut off?

The investigation has also revealed a new suspicion that the co-pilot may have tried to cut off the fuel supply of the plane's engines. This claim came to light after examining the video recorded inside the plane by two Boeing 737 captains. Experts have also considered the sudden burning of emergency lights in the cabin of the plane as an important sign. Usually these lights are used to show the way to passengers in case of emergency or evacuation.

What was the meaning of the sudden burning of emergency lights?

According to the report, Boeing 737 can run on battery power if the main power supply is interrupted. This can happen in case the engine or generator is stopped. On this basis, the question before the investigators is whether the fuel control switch of the engine was moved from "Run" to "Cutoff" position. However, this is still a matter of investigation and the suspicion revealed in the report has not been considered as the final conclusion.

What evidence was used in the investigation?

Corriere Della Sera used the statements of passengers, the flight crew's report to security officials, information from people related to the incident and the accounts of airport staff and air traffic controllers for its investigation. Apart from this, data obtained from different platforms and videos made during the flight were also analysed.

Had Hamami already confessed to crashing the plane in Israel?

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that during interrogation by Saudi authorities, Hamami allegedly admitted that he wanted to crash the plane in Israel and was not afraid of death. UAE officials have also described the incident as a "terrorist act". According to him, the co-pilot attacked the captain with the emergency axe in the cockpit and tried to take control of the plane.