Flight 1073 was bound for Tel Aviv in Israel when it was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia due to the onboard altercation.
It was able to land safely thanks to the intervention of two off-duty pilots travelling on the flight, who helped Indian captain Smit Machchhar regain control of the plane.
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The plane (not pictured) was evacuated quickly after landing (Picture: AFP)
Officials say the banned pilot had come close to crashing the aircraft, which was carrying 182 people.
Hammam al-Hammami has been accused of attacking his captain on the flight deck, causing the plane to enter a sudden dive.
It has been reported that the weapon used was a ‘crash axe’ kept in the cockpit in case of emergencies.
Al-Hammami had previously been flagged for holding radical views, it has been revealed.
The 29-year-old Omani national had previously trained at his country’s flag carrier in 2024, but was moved to an administrative role after being found in possession of extremist materials, ABC News reported.
He had reportedly completed a distance-learning degree in aviation management at Buckinghamshire New University in 2023.
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