According to investigative findings released by UAE authorities, Captain Machhar fell inside the flight deck after being struck with the emergency axe—a standard safety tool secured in commercial cockpits for post-crash egress. Despite sustaining severe injuries, Captain Machhar managed to unlock the cockpit door from within, alerting passengers with his cries for assistance. Investigations identified the attacker as 26-year-old Omani national Hamam al-Hamani, who earned an online degree in aviation management from Buckinghamshire New University in 2023. CNN reported that prior to the deletion of al-Hamani's social media accounts, investigators uncovered posted footage of Israeli aircraft recorded from inside flight decks, accompanied by imagery of slain Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and Jordanian CIA base bomber Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi, alongside AI-generated depictions of Islamic holy sites set to extremist chants.