I wasn't going to let others die, says Indian pilot who opened cockpit door during attack
The captain said he opened the cockpit door after being stabbed, allowing passengers and crew to restrain the attacker and prevent a crash.
- On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, Indian Captain Smit Machchhar saved 174 passengers aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him in the cockpit.
- Co-Pilot Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, is under investigation as Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the United Arab Emirates president, termed the incident a "dangerous terrorist act."
- Despite severe head and neck wounds, Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door, allowing dentist Dr. Shota Musaev and other passengers to restrain the attacker while off-duty pilots stabilized the aircraft.
- The aircraft diverted to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, for an emergency landing, where Machchhar received initial treatment before transfer to the UAE.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Machchhar as a "true hero," while multinational authorities investigate potential motives and terror links in the ongoing probe.
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646 Articles
Flydubai Captain Recounts Fight to Save Israel-Bound Flight
(Oct. 2, 2026 / JNS) The Indian captain seriously wounded during the midair attack aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel has spoken publicly for the first time about his fight to save the aircraft and the more than 180 people aboard, confirming that he opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene.Capt. […]
On a flight to Israel, the co-pilot apparently wanted to bring the machine to a targeted crash. Now, a passenger describes new details. Therefore, the passengers reacted very differently.
Hero passenger on FlyDubai flight: "I decided that we are going to survive"
"Sunday Morning" talked with passengers who heroically helped avert disaster this past Wednesday by subduing the co-pilot attempting to crash their Boeing 737 Max into the Arabian Desert.
Royal Air Maroc denies Flydubai co-pilot ever worked for airline
Royal Air Maroc denied claims that the Flydubai co-pilot accused of attempting a 'terrorist act' aboard flight FZ1073 had worked for the Moroccan carrier, saying his 2025 job application was rejected.
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