Flydubai pilot details cockpit attack by co-pilot in call with Netanyahu

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has shared how his co-pilot suddenly assaulted him inside the cockpit on flydubai flight FZ1073. During a phone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, Machchhar explained that the co-pilot asked to pray while the flight was cruising normally from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The Attack And Descent

After turning away out of respect, Machchhar felt a strong blow to the back of his head roughly four or five minutes later. He initially mistook the repeated strikes for a mechanical failure of the aircraft before realising the co-pilot was attacking him from behind. The surprise assault severely blurred his vision while the aircraft lost more than half its cruising altitude in about 90 seconds during a sharp dive.

Rescue And Landing

Despite his injuries and fragmented memory of the struggle, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door using an internal twist mechanism during a final effort while lying on the floor. Passengers and two off-duty flydubai pilots rushed inside to subdue the co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, and control the plane before an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar later recounted a similar version of events to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Netanyahu praised the pilot as a hero.

Context

Commercial aircraft cockpits are strictly secured with reinforced doors and specific access codes to prevent unauthorised entry during flights. When an emergency or incapacitation occurs inside, emergency protocols allow crew members to intervene using specific override mechanisms. Aviation authorities routinely review such incidents to enhance security procedures for flight deck operations worldwide.