flydubai pilot reveals how he was struck from behind and repeatedly lost consciousness

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Captain Smit Machchhar, a flydubai pilot, recounted being struck from behind in the cockpit, losing consciousness multiple times. A man had been seated behind him while praying before the incident. Machchhar, describing the Boeing 737 cockpit as small, mentioned he had refrained from looking at the man during his prayer.

The pilot had been checking flight information on his computer when he felt a powerful head blow. He described the impact as exceptionally strong, recalling that "it was something very strong." Machchhar confessed to drifting in and out of consciousness, admitting, "I was in and out of consciousness frequently." Realizing his survival depended on action, he told himself, "Do something.

You can't die like this." Upon opening the cockpit door, the scene was chaotic with panic and screaming. Machchhar praised his colleague for regaining control of the aircraft, crediting his actions as saving everyone on board. Flight FZ1073, originally bound for Tel Aviv, was diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia on September 30 after the security incident. All 172 passengers and crew members survived.