The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash a plane last week was in New Zealand seven years ago to complete a portion of his flight training for a UK-based company, New Zealand police said in a statement on Tuesday (Oct 6).

Police said the man was in New Zealand between November 2018 and May 2019 on a six-month student visa.

"Immigration records show he arrived in New Zealand on Nov 30, 2018, and departed May 23, 2019," New Zealand Assistant Commissioner Michael Johnson said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

"Police can confirm the co-pilot was in New Zealand to complete a portion of his flight training for a UK-based company, no longer operating in New Zealand," he added.

The police is reviewing records and undertaking enquiries about the time he spent in New Zealand.

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which had been bound for Israel from Dubai, attacked the pilot with an emergency crash axe, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general has said, calling the incident a "terrorist attack".

Two sources have said the co-pilot is an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami. Israeli officials have not named the co-pilot but have said he is from Oman. UAE authorities and flydubai have not publicly disclosed the co-pilot's identity.

Reuters has not been able to independently reach al-Hammami, who is in UAE custody, for comment.

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is also investigating the man's links to Australia.

Source: Reuters

-Agencies