By Stephen Simon
An Indian pilot stabbed by his co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has recounted how he fought through his injuries to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and prevent a possible catastrophe.
Captain Smit Machchhar said he was lying injured on the cockpit floor when he realised that the aircraft was rapidly losing altitude and that he had to act. Speaking to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video call from his hospital bed, Machchhar said he was determined not to allow the other passengers to die.
“I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,” the pilot said. “I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die.”
Flydubai Flight FZ1073, carrying 174 people, was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, allegedly attacked Machchhar in the cockpit. The aircraft subsequently went into a rapid descent, losing nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, according to reports.
Machchhar eventually managed to open the cockpit door despite continuing to be attacked. Passengers and crew members entered the cockpit and helped overpower the co-pilot, while two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers assisted in taking control of the aircraft. The plane was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing.
The injured captain was taken to hospital and has been reported to be recovering. The Indian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates said Machchhar was in good health and recovering, while Modi praised his courage and quick thinking during the emergency. Passenger accounts also described the captain as seriously injured when they entered the cockpit and said his actions gave them an opportunity to intervene.
The co-pilot was arrested by Saudi authorities and the circumstances and motive behind the attack remain under investigation. Flydubai has also suspended its flights to Israel while investigations continue, while Israeli authorities have said they will review security procedures relating to pilots flying into the country.
The incident has drawn international attention because the aircraft was carrying more than 170 people when the cockpit confrontation occurred. Investigations involving authorities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and other countries are expected to examine how the attack occurred and whether existing aviation security and crew-vetting procedures need to be strengthened.
