FlyDubai 'hero' pilot speaks for first time

Indian Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has spoken for the first time about the harrowing ordeal he endured when his copilot attempted to stab him, potentially crash the plane. Machchhar, who was severely injured, managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing other passengers to enter and restrain the attacker. He remained conscious throughout, urgently realizing he needed to get up as passengers' lives hung in the balance.

The incident forced the flight, bound for Tel Aviv from Dubai, to divert to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it safely landed. The 180 passengers on board were primarily Israeli nationals. Anwar Gargash, a UAE adviser, praised Machchhar as a true hero embodying courage and responsibility in the face of a terrorist act. The suspected attacker, an Omani national, was apprehended upon landing in Saudi Arabia, though the motive remains unclear, with Israel suspecting an Islamist attack.

The UAE and Israel labeled the incident a terrorist attack. FlyDubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith pledged a full investigation and temporarily suspended flights to Tel Aviv until at least October 15. Israeli officials are set to investigate the co-pilot, currently held in the UAE, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stating that those who sent the attacker would face severe consequences.

Many Israelis found themselves stranded in the UAE due to the flight suspension, which prompted Israeli airlines to begin repatriating stranded nationals.