Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Details Cockpit Attack by Co-Pilot on Tel Aviv Flight

The Attack

An Indian pilot with seventeen years of flying experience has spoken about how his co-pilot attacked him with an axe mid-flight four days after the incident. Captain Smit Machchhar was flying a Boeing 737 Max carrying 174 people, mostly Israeli passengers, on a journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when the co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, struck him from behind.

The Sequence

Machchhar explained in a video call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that al-Hammami stood up midway through the trip and stated he needed to pray. The captain kept his eyes facing forward out of respect and did not watch his colleague. After roughly four to five minutes, Machchhar felt a heavy blow to the back of his head, initially thinking the aircraft itself had suffered an impact before a second strike confirmed the assault came from behind him. The blows blurred his vision while the aircraft dropped sharply.

Reclaiming Control

Injured and struggling to see, Machchhar reached the cockpit door, twisted the knob to open it, but al-Hammami closed it again as the captain fell to the floor. Believing he was dying, Machchhar put all his remaining strength into one final push, opening the door for waiting passengers and crew to rush inside, overpower the co-pilot, and regain control before landing safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. During the ordeal, Machchhar also recited the Hanuman Chalisa for courage, later telling Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a separate call that he fought to save the passengers from dying.

Context

Incidents of violence inside commercial aircraft cockpits are extremely rare due to strict global security measures, reinforced doors, and rigorous crew screening protocols. Aviation authorities in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are currently investigating the security breach, the co-pilot's background, and potential links to extremist indoctrination.