Flydubai Captain: “I Tried to Block the Blows as Much as I Could”
Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar describes blocking axe blows during a cockpit attack by his co-pilot, who allegedly planned to crash flight FZ1073 into Tel Aviv.
The captain of a Flydubai flight to Israel has described how he blocked repeated axe blows to his head and screamed for help after being attacked by his co-pilot, who allegedly intended to crash the aircraft in a suicide attack.
Captain Smit Machchhar has been praised for helping avert a disaster aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. UAE prosecutors have alleged that the Omani co-pilot planned to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport.
Speaking from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, with his head and left arm bandaged, Machchhar said that when the first blow landed, he initially thought something had gone seriously wrong with the aircraft. He soon realized he was under attack.
“The next thought was I need to get help in here,” he said.
Machchhar said he tried to free himself from his seat belt while using his arms to protect himself from blows directed at his head.
“My immediate action was to free myself from the seat belts and I tried to just block the blows as much as I could,” he said, pointing to his injured arm.
He then reached for the knob that opens the cockpit door and shouted for his colleagues.
“Immediately, my hand went to the knob which opens the door and screaming for my colleagues, screaming his name,” he recalled.
The captain said he believed he lost consciousness at that point.
Aircraft Plunged During Attack
The attack took place while the aircraft was flying through Saudi airspace. The co-pilot allegedly used a crash axe, an emergency tool normally kept inside the cockpit.
Machchhar said he later heard the cockpit door open and heard shouting as colleagues confronted the attacker.
One of the most frightening moments came when he felt the aircraft’s nose pointing steeply downward. He said he was unsure whether he would survive but continued trying to protect himself.
The aircraft descended approximately 16,000 feet in 30 seconds before the suspected attacker was overpowered. Two other pilots aboard the plane then brought it safely to the ground in Saudi Arabia.
Flydubai FZ1073 Diverted to Tabuk
Flydubai flight FZ1073 diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30 after the cockpit confrontation. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew were reported safe.
Passengers were assisted at Tabuk Airport before arrangements were made for them to continue their journey. The incident prompted a major emergency response after the flight issued distress signals during the descent.
