‘He was openly radicalised’: Airline veteran in Flydubai attack, security gaps and emergency landing | Exclusive | Today’s news

Flydubai flight FZ1073 narrowly avoided disaster on September 30 after Omani co-pilot Hamam Al-Hammami allegedly attacked Indian captain Smita Machchhar with an ax in an apparent attempt to seize control of the plane.

Aviation commentator and veteran pilot Alastair Rosenschein said the incident raises questions about flight crew security clearances, cockpit safety and whether potential warning signs were overlooked.

Rosenschein, who has spent around four decades in the UK aviation industry, told LiveMint in an exclusive interview that the incident should prompt closer scrutiny of how flight crew are screened and monitored.

Quick answers to key questions

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The incident was sparked by co-pilot Hamam Al-Hammami attacking Captain Smit Machchhar with an ax in an attempt to take control of the aircraft, a dramatic escalation of his identified radicalisation.

The failure of security clearances was attributed to a lack of oversight and communication between aviation authorities in Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Israel regarding the co-pilot’s previous radicalization and the restriction of his flight status.

Captain Machchhar showed immense bravery by unlocking the cockpit door during the attack, allowing the passengers and crew to intervene, overpower the co-pilot and stabilize the aircraft.

Airlines should conduct regular psychological screenings and encourage crew members to report concerns about their behavior to each other in order to effectively monitor and ensure the safety of flight crews.

Yes, there should be international information-sharing protocols for individuals identified as radicalized to prevent them from accessing sensitive positions in the aerospace industry and other critical industries.

Referring to media reports that the co-pilot had previously faced restrictions on flying in Oman due to concerns over his alleged extremist views, Rosenschein said: “All the signs of this pilot’s radicalization were there for the security services to see.”

According to media reports, the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged about 17,400 feet in less than two minutes before the plane was regained control. The plane later made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Rosenschein, who also served as a Royal Air Force (RAF) education officer and commanded 39F Barnes Squadron from 2006 to 2018, praised Machchhar for his actions following the alleged attack.

“What he did was an act of immense bravery. While they were attacking him with an axe, he managed to unlock the cockpit door. Now unlocking the cockpit door from the cockpit is quite simple under normal circumstances. But I think it’s a whole different thing when you’re fighting for your life and you’re injured.”

According to him, Machchhar’s actions, along with the passengers’ intervention, were key to preventing the situation from worsening.

“If not for his actions, there is no doubt that this plane would have been lost. And without the quick thinking of the Israeli passenger who boarded the plane, the plane would have been lost.”

What happened inside the cockpit?

Rosenschein said that based on the reported sequence of events, it was possible that the co-pilot put the plane into a dive. He said the forces generated during such a descent could make movement inside the cockpit extremely difficult.

He also highlighted the reported intervention of a passenger who reportedly entered the cockpit and helped regain control of the plane.

“It was a very, very sharp-thinking and quick-reacting Israeli passenger who entered the cockpit, overpowered the co-pilot, reached forward and pulled the plane out of a dive, even though he had never flown a plane before.”

What safety concerns arise with cockpit equipment?

Rosenschein said the reported use of an emergency crash ax raises questions about how such equipment is secured inside the cockpit.

“There is an immediate need to secure the emergency hatchet so that one pilot cannot access it without the other pilot knowing… So the hatchet needs to be secured much better than it currently is.”

He said the wider issue was the security clearance of the aircrew. “But the main failure is in carrying out a proper safety check of the flight crew.”

Referring to media reports that the co-pilot had previously faced flight restrictions in Oman due to concerns over his alleged extremist views, Rosenschein said: “All the signs of radicalization of this pilot were visible to the security services, and not only to them, but also to his colleagues, to his friends, to his family. He was openly radicalized.”

He added: “Serious questions need to be asked of the security services in the United Arab Emirates, Amman and possibly Israel.”

Read also | FlyDubai co-pilot who attacked was removed by Oman Air for radical views?

What can airlines do to prevent such incidents?

Rosenschein said regular psychological assessments and mechanisms for reporting concerns about crew behavior could form part of a broader safety framework.

“I don’t think there’s anything that can be done to prevent them other than proper psychological testing, frequent testing and their colleagues should report them if they have any concerns about their behavior or attitude.”

He said vetting should not be limited to pilots. “Psychological testing of flight attendants for the same reasons is equally important as they are allowed into the cockpit of an aircraft.”

What does Alistair Rosenschein suggest about information sharing?

Rosenschein argued that security information relating to people working in security-critical sectors should be more effectively shared across jurisdictions.

“I think there should be international intelligence for anyone who has been radicalized. So that someone like this, a very, very dangerous individual, doesn’t have access to, and it’s not just aviation. It’s true for the nuclear industry… It’s true for all forms of transportation.”