Captain stabbed by co-pilot during flight to Israel speaks for the first time about the attack
Quick Look
- Captain Smit Machchhar, stabbed by his co-pilot during a FlyDubai flight to Israel, spoke for the first time about the attack while recovering in a hospital in Abu Dhabi.
- He described the fight for his life, the plane's loss of altitude and his faith in a full recovery, while the investigation continues with the participation of Israeli agents.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The FlyDubai flight was departing Dubai for Tel Aviv when the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife inside the cabin. The plane lost more than 5,000 meters of altitude in less than 30 seconds before partially recovering its flight. The commander, despite being injured, managed to regain control and open the cabin door.
The commander stabbed by the co-pilot during a flight to Israel spoke this Friday (2) for the first time about the attack.
With his head and hands bandaged, Smit Machchhar is recovering in a hospital in Abu Dhabi. Two days after being stabbed inside the cabin of a FlyDubai flight, the captain spoke to the Prime Minister of India. Narendra Modi said the entire country is praying for recovery and highlighted Smit's action in a split second. The pilot said:
"I was fighting for my life. But I've been flying for 17 years and I've been a captain for 11. Even with my eyes closed, I know what's happening and I felt like the plane was falling. I said to myself, 'It's the last effort, Smit. The door is right there'. Somehow I managed to open it. I was trying to save myself, but I also knew I couldn't let anyone die."
Smit said that, during the attack, he recited a Hindu prayer and concluded:
"I see everything as a journey that will progress little by little. It will take time, but I'm sure I'll be fine."
'I was trying to save myself, but I also knew I couldn't let anyone die', says pilot stabbed mid-flight — Photo: Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction
While the commander recovers, the investigation continues. Israeli agents will participate in the interrogation of the co-pilot in the United Arab Emirates. They want to know not just why, but whether he acted alone.
New data shows that the plane lost more than 5,000 meters of altitude in just under 30 seconds. Then it went back up and fell again. At its worst, it was going down at almost 600 km/h. A crash that took the plane far beyond normal flight conditions.
FlyDubai said it is ready to resume flights to Tel Aviv, but is being blocked by the Israeli government. This Friday (2), other companies began repatriation flights for Israeli citizens who are in Dubai.
An Israeli TV stated that the first signs indicate that the co-pilot made the decision alone. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on the eve of the country's elections, said that Israel will investigate whether the co-pilot was sent by someone and, if that happened, that someone will pay.
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What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The investigation will conclude whether the copilot acted alone or had external support within 30 days.
Likely · Within weeks
FlyDubai flights to Tel Aviv will resume after approval from the Israeli government, possibly with new security measures.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What was the exact reason for the copilot's attack?
- Did the copilot act alone or was he encouraged by others?
- What were the copilot's mental health conditions before the flight?
- Why is the Israeli government preventing the resumption of FlyDubai flights to Tel Aviv?
