{
  "id": 11565977,
  "title": "‘I could not let all those people die’: Flydubai pilot recounts cockpit attack",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/i-could-not-let-all-those-people-die-flydubai-pilot-recounts-cockpit",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T00:57:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/world/2026/10/03/i-could-not-let-all-those-people-die-flydubai-pilot-recounts-cockpit-attack/237454"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "DUBAI, Oct 3 — An Indian pilot attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flight from the UAE to Israel said yesterday that...",
  "key_points": [
    "Indian pilot Smit Machchhar prevented a crash by opening cockpit door.",
    "Incident described as terrorist act, led to emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.",
    "Flydubai suspends flights to Israel following the attack."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The pilot's courageous actions in the face of a cockpit attack have been widely praised, highlighting the critical role of decisive leadership in averting a potential catastrophe.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "National Post",
        "title": "‘He’s stabbing the pilot’: How terror unfolded on Flydubai Flight 1073",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/hes-stabbing-the-pilot-how-terror-unfolded-on-flydubai-flight-1073",
        "published": "2026-10-02T20:47:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "FlyDubai pilot hailed as ‘national hero’ as he describes attack",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/flydubai-pilot-hailed-as-national-hero-as-he-describes-attack",
        "published": "2026-10-02T20:54:49.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}