An Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, describes an alleged attack inside the cockpit during flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. Machchhar says he was injured after his Omani co-pilot entered the cockpit from behind and assaulted him, leaving him to fight for life as the aircraft’s handling was disrupted.
According to Machchhar’s account across outlets, he initially was not looking back because his co-pilot had suggested he would provide prayers inside the cockpit. Despite the critical situation, he says he manages to open the cockpit door so passengers could restrain the assailant. The plane then lands safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a significant altitude drop.
The reports focus on the pilot’s personal recollection of the moments leading up to the restraint of the alleged attacker and the cockpit actions taken afterward. They differ mainly in how they describe the sequence of events, but they consistently present the incident as an in-flight cockpit assault on the route between Dubai and Tel Aviv, followed by an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
