Flydubai pilot recounts cockpit stabbing in call with Indian PM Modi
Smit Machchhar recalls midair disaster after co-pilot's attack on Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.
On October 3, a pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv recounted his harrowing cockpit attack by his co-pilot. The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, said he could not let all those people die, and helped avert a crash by opening the cockpit door despite his injuries. His actions allowed passengers and crew to regain control of the plane, leading to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The incident, described as a "terrorist act" by the UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash, prompted Flydubai to suspend flights to and from Israel. President Benjamin Netanyahu credited Machchhar and the passengers for averting a catastrophe, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker was likely suicidal and had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination.
The UAE's civil aviation authority praised the pilot, crew, and passengers for their swift and decisive actions.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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