Flydubai Captain Narrates Mid-Air Battle to Save Lives After Co-Pilot Attack

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot operating a Flydubai passenger aircraft, has vividly described his desperate struggle to regain command of the cockpit after being assaulted by his co-pilot. He expressed his unwavering resolve to prevent the loss of passengers' lives during the harrowing incident.

Machchhar recounted the moment he found himself injured on the cockpit floor, realizing the aircraft was plummeting rapidly. This dire situation spurred him to make a final, determined effort to open the cockpit door. The BBC reported on Friday that Machchhar shared his experience during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating, “I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside.” He added that others also intervened, playing a role in stabilizing the situation. “I was of course fighting for my own life, but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die,” he affirmed.

The incident involved Flydubai flight FZ1073, which departed from Dubai en route to Tel Aviv early on Wednesday. Approximately two and a half hours into its journey, the plane plunged over 17,000 feet (5,200 meters). PUNCH Online previously reported that a passenger claimed one of the pilots on the Israel-bound flight, which was diverted, attacked his co-pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft with the intention of killing everyone on board.

Initially, the aircraft transmitted an emergency signal to air traffic control, subsequently switching to squawk code 7500, the universally recognized signal for a hijacking. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later stated that one pilot had stabbed the other before “apparently trying to crash” the plane. Eventually, passengers managed to subdue the assailant. Two reserve pilots, who were traveling as passengers, then took control of the aircraft, successfully landing it at Tabuk Airport in north-western Saudi Arabia at 06:58 local time.

Netanyahu lauded Machchhar as a “true hero.” The captain was initially hospitalized in Tabuk before being airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where his condition was reported as stable. Netanyahu further informed Fox News that the attacker was an Omani national and that preliminary investigations suggested he had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination.” The Israeli Prime Minister also mentioned that after being overpowered and restrained by passengers and crew, the attacker repeatedly urged the aircrew to “kill me.”

The United Arab Emirates has initiated an investigation into the occurrence, including examining “whether the incident was linked to any terr*rist activity or purpose,” as confirmed by the country’s state news agency.

Machchhar has garnered widespread commendation in India following the event, with the Indian government praising his bravery and swift actions. The pilot informed Modi that his 17 years of flying experience enabled him to comprehend the aircraft's behavior even under extreme duress. Modi, in turn, told Machchhar that his “courage, patience and quick decision-making saved the lives of so many people,” expressing the nation's pride in him. The Indian Embassy in the UAE confirmed Machchhar's good health and steady recovery, while India’s Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, also expressed pride in the pilot's courageous act. Despite his injuries, Machchhar remains optimistic about a full recovery. “I am not looking at this wound like a wound because that would make my recovery even more difficult,” he said. “I am looking at it as a journey which is slowly going on and will take time, but I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again.”