2 hrs ago
Pilot Recounts Flydubai Cockpit Attack to Netanyahu
Captain Smit Machchhar was flying a plane from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
He said his co-pilot got up to pray and then hit him on the head.
At first, Machchhar thought something had gone badly wrong with the plane.
When the blows continued, he realized the co-pilot was attacking him.
His vision became blurry, and the plane began to fall quickly.
Machchhar said he used his remaining strength to twist open the cockpit door.
Passengers and crew came in, and other pilots helped steady the plane.
The plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar and invited him to Israel’s Independence Day ceremony.
Captain Smit Machchhar said his co-pilot asked to pray, then struck him repeatedly on the back of the head.
Machchhar said he first thought the blows signaled catastrophic aircraft damage, before realizing he was being attacked.
He recalled blurred vision, a rapid descent and passengers screaming as he lay injured on the cockpit floor.
Machchhar said he twisted the cockpit door’s inside knob, allowing passengers and crew to enter and intervene.
The aircraft was stabilized by other pilots and made an emergency landing in Tabuk; Netanyahu praised Machchhar and invited him to Israel’s Independence Day ceremony.
- Who
- Captain Smit Machchhar, his co-pilot, passengers and crew aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073.
- What
- Machchhar said the co-pilot attacked him in the cockpit; he opened the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene.
- Where
- A Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv; it made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- When
- The incident occurred on a Wednesday; Machchhar later described it in a phone conversation with Netanyahu on Saturday.
- Why
- The articles do not establish the co-pilot’s motive. UAE authorities described the incident as an attempted terrorist act, and the investigation was continuing.
Key facts
- Flight
- Flydubai flight FZ1073
- Route
- Dubai to Tel Aviv
- People aboard
- 174, according to two articles; another article's infographic gave a different figure of 182.
- Reported cruising altitude
- 34,000 feet
- Emergency landing
- Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
- Pilot's condition
- Machchhar was receiving medical care in the UAE and was reported to be recovering well.
- Investigation
- UAE authorities described the incident as an attempted terrorist act; motive and possible connections remained under investigation.
- Invitation
- Benjamin Netanyahu invited Machchhar and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a ceremonial flame at Israel's Independence Day ceremony.
Quotes
Benjamin Netanyahu
Prime Minister of Israel
“I had that one last fight left in me. Call it personal or call it for people, but let’s say I did it. If I don’t do it, I’m going to die. That’s when I pushed against everything I gave, everything that I had, and just went for the door and opened the door. And thankfully, people were waiting to pounce back, took over the control, and the rest is what you know sir.”
indianexpress.com
firstpost.com
news18.com
“It was a normal flight, and the co-pilot wanted to pray, which a lot of locals do. While he was praying, out of respect, I just looked at the front and not at the back. And suddenly, after about four or five minutes, there was a big blow to the back of my head.”
indianexpress.com
news18.com
Sources
Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar tells Netanyahu what happened inside cockpit: ‘Big blow to my head’
‘Co-pilot got up to pray, then.’: Indian pilot Machchhar reveals new details of flydubai cockpit attack to Netanyahu
‘I had one last fight left’: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar recounts flydubai cockpit attack to Netanyahu
'Co-Pilot Got Up To Pray, Then Hit Me On The Head': Smit Machchhar Reveals New Details Of Flydubai Incident
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