Indian Pilot Recounts Cockpit Attack on Israel-Bound Flight

Pilot's Account

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has revealed harrowing details of a violent assault by his co-pilot inside a Flydubai cockpit on September 30. Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, Machchhar said the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv started normally before the Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, asked to pray. After about four or five minutes, Machchhar suffered a sudden blow to the back of his head. He initially suspected catastrophic aircraft damage before realizing his co-pilot was attacking him. The initial strikes left Machchhar with severely blurred vision as the Boeing 737 Max began to drop sharply.

Opening the Door

Lying on the cockpit floor while the aircraft descended rapidly, Machchhar managed to reach the internal twist-to-open door knob despite resistance from the co-pilot. Colleagues outside were trying to use the entry code, but the attacker blocked them from within. Once Machchhar twisted the knob and opened the door, crew members and passengers rushed in to take control of the aircraft, which safely landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Flight FZ1073 carried 174 people on board, mostly Israeli citizens.

Reactions and Investigation

Prime Minister Netanyahu called Machchhar a hero and invited him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel for Independence Day. Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot underwent Islamist radical indoctrination. Authorities across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Israel are investigating the motive and whether the attack was planned. During a separate call with Prime Minister Modi, Machchhar shared that reciting the Hanuman Chalisa gave him courage during the ordeal.

Context

Commercial flight decks are heavily secured with reinforced doors and digital entry codes to prevent unauthorized access during flights. Emergency equipment like crash axes are standard safety tools kept inside cockpits for crew use during crisis situations. Aviation safety authorities routinely investigate cockpit security protocols and crew vetting processes following rare in-flight security incidents.