Indian pilot describes how he opened cockpit door after stabbing by co-pilot on Flydubai flight
Quick Look
- Indian pilot Smit Machchhar recounted how he opened the cockpit door after being stabbed by his co-pilot during a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker and enabling a second pair of pilots to land the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a brief plunge of 17,000 feet.
- He spoke from a hospital in Abu Dhabi via video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, describing his injuries, reciting a Hindu prayer, and crediting divine intervention for his survival, while Modi praised his bravery and UAE and Israeli officials labeled the act terrorist and linked to Islamist radicalization, with Trump warning Iran would face consequences if involved.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The incident occurred on a Flydubai flight en route to Tel Aviv, where the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain, Smit Machchhar, in an attempt to crash the aircraft. Machchhar, despite severe injuries, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene and restore control, leading to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to crash a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, has shared a public account of how he managed to open the cockpit door and let passengers take control of the plane despite his injuries.
Speaking on Friday from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi via video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said that he knew the aircraft was going down as he lay bleeding on the floor.
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“I had suffered so many injuries that I had collapsed. At that time, I could feel that the aircraft was going down. I knew this was the last push, that the door was right there,” he said in a nearly 10-minute video released on the prime minister’s social media channels.
He added: “I was being hit even then, but I just opened the door and everyone came in.”
Machchhar, who has 17 years of aviation experience, including 11 as a captain, said that experience helped him grasp what was happening even while wounded.
He told Modi he had recited a Hindu devotional prayer during the ordeal.
“I know God himself saved me,” he said, in an emotional exchange with Modi, who is from the same home state of Gujarat.
Modi praised Machchhar’s bravery, saying his presence of mind had saved lives and the reputation of Indian pilots.
Machchhar said he allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot and let a second pair of Flydubai pilots take control and land the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The Flydubai flight was carrying 174 people as it briefly plunged around 17,000 feet (5,180 metres) before it was brought back under control.
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash has called the incident a “terrorist act”, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination” and appeared “suicidal”.
US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would be “hit very hard” if found to be linked to the attack.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Flydubai will review and likely strengthen cockpit access protocols and psychological screening for crew.
Very likely · Within weeks
Investigations will examine the co-pilot's potential links to extremist ideologies.
Likely · Within weeks
Iran will deny any involvement and condemn the allegations as baseless.
Likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What was the co-pilot's motive and background?
- Were there any prior warning signs about the co-pilot's behavior?
- What specific injuries did Machchhar sustain?
- Has the co-pilot been apprehended and charged?
