{
  "id": 11186552,
  "title": "Flydubai incident: Was Smit Machchhar attacked with a knife or crash axe?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/flydubai-incident-was-smit-machchhar-attacked-with-a-knife-or-crash",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T12:14:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/world/flydubai-incident-was-smit-machchhar-attacked-with-a-knife-or-crash-axe-10902536/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Flydubai Flight FZ1073 experienced a cockpit confrontation that left Indian Captain Smit Machchhar injured. The weapon used in the attack remains uncertain, with conflicting reports suggesting either a knife or the emergency crash axe. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated the attacker may have used an axe. While passengers reported seeing a man holding a knife, a pilot working in the region stated pilots could potentially access a metal knife from meal service as well as the crash axe commonly found in cockpits. The incident prompted Israeli authorities to scramble fighter jets and led to an emergency landing in Tabuk. The exact sequence of events remains unclear, but it is known that one pilot allegedly attacked the other, who then opened the cockpit door to allow other passengers and crew to enter and subdue the assailant. Machchhar is currently in stable condition following surgery in Saudi Arabia.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Indian Captain Smit Machchhar injured in cockpit confrontation",
    "Weapon used may have been either a knife or crash axe",
    "Israeli Prime Minister suggests attacker used an axe"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Press Journal",
        "title": "‘Never Heard Or Seen Such Incident In 50 Years’: Federation Of Indian Pilots Chief Reacts To Attack On Captain Smit Machchhar Aboard Flydubai Flight| VIDEO",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/never-heard-or-seen-such-incident-in-50-years-federation-of-indian",
        "published": "2026-10-01T10:34:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "How was the Flydubai pilot who attacked his co-pilot cleared to fly?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/how-was-the-flydubai-pilot-who-attacked-his-co-pilot-cleared-to-fly",
        "published": "2026-10-01T11:50:25.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "U.A.E. announces investigation into FlyDubai incident",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/u-a-e-announces-investigation-into-flydubai-incident",
        "published": "2026-10-01T12:09:52.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Man who helped subdue pilot in FlyDubai cockpit incident speaks out",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/man-who-helped-subdue-pilot-in-flydubai-cockpit-incident-speaks-out",
        "published": "2026-10-01T12:48:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}