{
  "id": 11852714,
  "title": "Flydubai captain: Co-pilot said he wanted to pray, then attacked me from behind",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/flydubai-captain-co-pilot-said-he-wanted-to-pray-then-attacked-me",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-04T05:00:48.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Haaretz",
    "slug": "haaretz",
    "url": "https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/israel-security/2026-10-04/ty-article/flydubai-captain-recounts-co-pilot-attack-in-conversation-with-netanyahu/000001a1-033f-d1c4-abeb-737f2f640000"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot of a Flydubai flight bound for Israel, recounted the harrowing experience of being attacked by his co-pilot during the incident. Machchhar revealed that his Omani co-pilot expressed a desire to pray shortly before launching the attack from behind. Despite Machchhar attempting to fend off the blows, the initial impact left him with severely impaired vision. As the plane began to dive, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, but it was closed again by the assailant. In a final act of courage, Machchhar managed to open the door once more, allowing passengers to rush into the cockpit and subdue the attacker. The plane eventually landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar as a hero for Israel, India, and the world, inviting him to light an Independence Day torch alongside the Indian Prime Minister. The circumstances surrounding the attacker's ability to serve on the flight have raised questions about the screening process in place for foreign flight crews arriving in Israel. Israeli security sources confirmed that the Transportation Ministry's Security Division and the Mossad are responsible for monitoring and screening foreign flight crews, but admitted that the Ministry lacks the necessary intelligence capabilities to carry out such screening independently.",
  "summary": "Machchhar said the blows nearly blinded him and he used his remaining strength to open the cockpit door, letting passengers and crew subdue the attacker; Netanyahu later invited him to light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Discovered",
        "title": "Authorities probe FlyDubai co-pilot's Australian ties",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/authorities-probe-flydubai-co-pilots-australian-ties",
        "published": "2026-10-04T02:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "Australia investigating Flydubai co-pilot's links to country",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/australia-investigating-flydubai-co-pilots-links-to-country",
        "published": "2026-10-04T06:19:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}