Captain of flydubai plane describes blocking axe blows as co-pilot attacked

Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot of a flydubai flight, recounted his harrowing experience during an attack by the co-pilot, who was attempting to crash the aircraft. Machchhar, who was severely injured during the incident, described blocking the assailant's axe blows to his head while desperately searching for a way to open the cockpit door.

The flight, FZ1073, was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot launched the attack, which caused the plane to plummet 16,000 feet (4,900 meters) in just 30 seconds. The incident was so severe that Machchhar lost consciousness for a moment. The aircraft was eventually landed safely in Saudi Arabia by the two remaining pilots.

The attacker, an Omani national, was subsequently transferred to the UAE. The incident was allegedly inspired by the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, according to UAE public prosecutors. Machchhar's bravery in the face of danger has earned him the title of a hero, and he expressed his disbelief at the fact that he survived the ordeal.