The Omani pilot accused of attempting to hijack a Flydubai passenger flight bound for Israel received professional pilot training in Britain, The Telegraph reported Tuesday.
Hamam al-Hammami, 29, is being held in Abu Dhabi following last Wednesday’s incident, which authorities have described as an attempted jihadist terror attack. He is accused of attacking the aircraft’s pilot with an axe before crew members and passengers intervened.
According to The Telegraph, Hammami trained between 2018 and 2019 with L3 Airline Academy, one of Britain’s largest flight schools at the time.
The company, which operated training facilities in England, has since become part of Acron Aviation. Its British locations included major centers in Southampton and Bournemouth, along with a simulator facility near Gatwick.
There is no allegation of wrongdoing against L3 Airline Academy, Acron Aviation or their affiliated companies, noted The Telegraph. Acron has said it would cooperate with authorities investigating the incident.
Hammami's aviation training also included time in New Zealand. New Zealand police confirmed Tuesday that he received a six-month student visa to undergo flight training from November 2018 through May 2019 “for a UK-based company no longer operating in New Zealand".
At the time, L3 Airline Academy operated a program that combined training in Britain with flight instruction at a school in Hamilton, New Zealand. Cadets could complete their theoretical ground training in Southampton, travel to New Zealand for core flight training and then return to Britain for more advanced instruction.
L3 also had ties to Oman Air, where Hammami worked until February 2025, according to The Telegraph. The airline had previously listed the aviation school among five internationally recognized institutions whose graduates could be considered for its pilot recruitment program.
Acron Aviation declined to confirm whether Hammami had been among its students, citing a policy against publicly identifying current or former students.
A spokesman said: “We were saddened to hear of this incident, and our thoughts are with everyone affected. As a matter of policy, we do not publicly comment on whether any individual is or has been a student with us."
“We will, of course, assist the relevant authorities, if necessary, in any way we can as they investigate this incident."
Channel 12 News reported on Monday that al-Hamami linked his alleged attempt to bring down the aircraft to the war in the Gaza Strip.
“I did it as revenge for Gaza. I wanted to die as a shahid," al-Hammami told investigators.
The Israeli defense establishment is continuing to investigate whether he acted alone and out of a personal motive, or whether another party was behind the alleged attack. The military censor cleared for publication on Monday evening that the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) is also participating in the investigation.
Meanwhile, two Israeli sources told CBS News that Israel was prepared to shoot down the Flydubai plane if it continued toward the country after al-Hammami attacked the pilot in the cockpit.