The Indian captain of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv recounted his struggle for survival after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him with a weapon in the cockpit, leading to the aircraft being diverted to Saudi Arabia.
Capt. Smit Machchhar described the suddenness of the assault, which occurred after the co-pilot requested to pray, a common practice during flights. Shortly after, Machchhar felt a blow to his head, initially suspecting aircraft damage, but soon realized he was under attack. "My first thought was that there was a catastrophic damage to the aircraft, and something is not right. But then, after that, the blow kept coming one after the other, and that's when I realized that it's not the aircraft; it's the other guy who was in the cockpit with me," Machchhar told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call from his hospital bed in the United Arab Emirates.
Despite blurred vision and continued blows, Machchhar fought back, describing a moment of resolve: "I had that one last fight left in me."
He managed to open the cockpit door, which allowed passengers to intervene and subdue the attacker, identified by sources familiar with the investigation as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami. The pilot recounted, "I realized that if I don't do it, I'm gonna die, and that's when I pushed against everything. I gave everything that I had, and just went for the door and opened the door."
One passenger, Yaniv Hayun, a plumber, was able to remove the suspect from the cockpit and take control of the aircraft. Hayun, crediting a television show for his knowledge of emergency procedures, expressed a desire to meet Machchhar and thank him in person. Dr. Shota Musaev, a dentist who treated Machchhar's wounds, also conveyed his gratitude, stating, "He saved my life, to be honest."
Netanyahu expressed his gratitude to Machchhar for preventing further harm and invited the captain to Israel, where he said he would be honored as a hero. Machchhar also expressed a wish to meet Netanyahu and Musaev face-to-face.
The suspect is in custody, and the investigation is ongoing.