Indian Pilot Recalls Flydubai Cockpit Attack, Survives Mid-Air Assault

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has recalled the terrifying sequence of events aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, describing how he was attacked by his co-pilot while the aircraft was cruising from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Machchhar shared details of the incident during a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

According to Machchhar, the flight was proceeding normally when the co-pilot, identified in media reports as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, said he wanted to pray. The captain turned away out of respect. Four to five minutes later, Machchhar was struck repeatedly on the back of his head. He initially believed the aircraft had suffered a major technical problem before realising that he was being attacked.

The assault left Machchhar seriously injured and affected his vision. During the attack, he realised that the aircraft was rapidly descending. Flight-tracking data indicated that the Boeing 737 MAX 8 lost more than half of its cruising altitude in about 90 seconds.

Despite his injuries, Machchhar made a final attempt to reach the cockpit door. He explained that the door could be opened from inside through a twist mechanism, while entry from outside required a code. The co-pilot reportedly prevented passengers and crew from entering, but Machchhar eventually managed to open the door, allowing people outside to enter and intervene.

Passengers helped subdue the co-pilot, while two pilots travelling as passengers assisted in stabilising the aircraft. The flight was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing nearly four hours after departure.

Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s courage and called him a hero of Israel, India and the wider world. He also invited the Indian pilot and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in Israel’s Independence Day ceremony.

Machchhar is recovering in the UAE as investigations into the incident continue. UAE authorities have described the attack as an attempted terrorist attack and are examining its circumstances, motive and possible connections.