Captain Smit Machchhar recounted a violent mid-air cockpit attack by his co-pilot on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. During a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the injured pilot described fighting for his life and unlocking the flight deck door so passengers could intervene.
Flight FZ1073 was roughly two and a half hours into its journey to Israel on Wednesday morning when the co-pilot launched a sudden assault with a knife against the captain. The Boeing 737 plunged more than 17,000 feet in about a minute as the flight deck became the site of a desperate struggle.
Captain Smit Machchhar Details the Cockpit Struggle to Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, Captain Smit Machchhar spoke via a live-broadcast video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He described being thrown to the floor and injured while the aircraft plummeted toward the ground.
“I had so many wounds.”
Captain Smit Machchhar, via The Guardian and CBC
Machchhar explained that despite his grave injuries, he knew he had to reach the door to prevent a catastrophic crash. I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,
he told Modi, adding that he was reciting the Hanuman Chalisa during the ordeal.
The captain, who has spent 17 years flying planes, recalled telling the Indian prime minister that he was prepared to risk everything so that others would not die. During the conversation, Modi praised the pilot for his patience and quick decision-making, noting that his mother had raised him with the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita. Ambassador Deepak Mittal also visited Machchhar in the hospital, expressing admiration for his bravery.
Passengers and Crew Subdue the Attacker as the Jet Plummets
As the aircraft dropped rapidly, passengers near the front realized something was wrong. Almog Italie, a passenger traveling with his family, recalled that the plane began descending quickly before word spread that one pilot had stabbed another. Israeli dentist Dr. Shota Musaev, seated in row 13, rushed forward alongside other travelers.
I think, how [can] I help this situation for all [the passengers for all plane.
Dr. Shota Musaev, passenger, via ABC News
Tali Manes, an Israeli bank executive traveling with her six-year-old daughter Nina, was the one who initially alerted a nearby flight attendant after hearing heavy blows against the flight deck door. Once Machchhar managed to unlock the security door, passengers entered the cockpit. Musaev and others dragged the suspect out, binding his hands with headphones. While reserve pilots took over the controls to steady the aircraft, Musaev turned his attention to Machchhar, treating the wounded pilot.
Yaniv Hayoun and an Israeli businessman named Tal were among the individuals who helped coordinate the response. Tal noted that he had to shake the two additional pilots who were traveling in the cabin to get them to take control of the aircraft as it was diving.
Emergency Diversion to Tabuk and Motive Investigations
The flight safely diverted to Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, landing at 06:58 local time. Authorities on the ground provided medical care, food, and assistance to the stranded travelers. The unnamed co-pilot was taken into custody.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that investigators believe the attacker was an Omani national who had joined flydubai between five and nine months prior. Netanyahu claimed the co-pilot had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination and was suicidal, noting that the suspect shouted to the aircrew to kill him once restrained. However, former Mossad official Rami Igra cautioned that political leaders often seek credit and that the motive and broader connections remain under active investigation.
The United Arab Emirates launched an investigation into whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose. Meanwhile, global leaders including Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu have lauded Captain Machchhar and the passengers on board for their decisive actions in averting a disaster.