US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee believes airlines could tighten screening procedures for pilots and flight attendants following the attempted flydubai hijacking, which he called a potential “9/11 situation” on the latest episode of “Pod Force One.”
“The question I think will be a tough one for everyone to answer: How did this guy get hired?” Huckabee said, referring to the flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking the captain with an axe while the aircraft was traveling toward Israel last month.
Speaking with “Pod Force One” host Miranda Devine, the former Arkansas governor suggested the airline may have overlooked warning signs because of a pilot shortage—or may not have fully reviewed the co-pilot’s background. “Does this change the security methods? Oh boy, does it ever!” he said.
The co-pilot, Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, reportedly became fixated on crashing a passenger plane into Israel and spent months researching possible attacks. His alleged plot failed after the injured captain, Smit Machchhar, succeeded in opening the cockpit door. Passengers then stormed the cockpit, restrained the attacker and helped regain control of the aircraft as it plunged toward the ground.
Huckabee said the aviation industry could adopt stronger safeguards worldwide, rather than limiting them to flights bound for Israel.
“Not just for pilots flying into Israel, but I think every airline now is going to be looking at social media accounts,” he said. “They’re going to be really wanting to know: Is there any red flag here?”
The ambassador said flight attendants could also face greater scrutiny because their access to the cockpit gives them the potential to cause serious disruption in the event of a security threat.
Huckabee described the foiled attack as a remarkable near-disaster. Investigators have not fully confirmed the suspect’s alleged intentions, he said, but the co-pilot reportedly told some of them that he wanted to crash the plane into the terminal at Ben Gurion Airport.
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“That would have been catastrophic,” Huckabee said.
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If the alleged plot had succeeded, Huckabee said, the result could have resembled “a 9/11 situation.”
He warned that crashing the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport, central Tel Aviv or Jerusalem would have produced an “incredible disaster,” adding that the destruction would have been devastating regardless of where the plane came down.
After the attacker was subdued, Israeli plumber Yaniv Hayoun reportedly helped pull the aircraft out of a steep dive, despite having no flying experience. Another pilot aboard the flight, whom Huckabee identified as Australian, later landed the plane safely.
Huckabee praised Hayoun as a modest and gracious hero who has appeared overwhelmed by the attention. “He’s a plumber. He’s used to going and fixing pipes, and suddenly he’s saving 174 lives,” the ambassador said.
“They were probably 30 seconds from hitting the ground. That’s how close it was.”
