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'I Couldn't Let Them Die' - Pilot Recounts Mid-Air Attack

Smit Machchhar said his 17 years of flying experience helped him sense the jet’s plunge as passengers restrained the attacker.

  • On Wednesday, FlyDubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar; all 182 passengers and crew landed safely.
  • Severely injured during the attack, Machchhar crawled to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to restrain the attacker while he recited the Hanuman Chalisa for spiritual strength.
  • Saudi authorities are interrogating the suspect, an Omani national, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the attacker underwent "Islamist radical indoctrination" and President Donald Trump warned Iran would be "hit very hard."
  • Recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, Machchhar spoke with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised his "courage, patience, and presence of mind" for saving lives.
  • In Manali, India, tourists held posters honoring the pilot, with social media users calling it a "Proud moment for India" and reflecting the deepening bond between India and Israel.
Insights by Ground AI

12 Articles

Lean Right

After the attack on a Flydubai machine, the Indian captain Smit Machchhar talked publicly for the first time about the dramatic minutes in the cockpit.

·Vienna, Austria
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Lean Right

After the violence in a cockpit of Flydubai, the Israeli airline El Al postpones its return flights of stranded Israeli passengers. The pilot talks for the first time about his feat.

·Berlin, Germany
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The Free Press Journal broke the news in Mumbai, India on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
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