Captain Smit Machchhar opened his Flydubai cockpit door during a violent in-flight attack by his co-pilot, preventing a potential crash. The September 30, 2026, flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged nearly 14,000 feet before passengers subdued the attacker and landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
The violent mid-air confrontation aboard Flydubai Flight 1073 plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds after the co-pilot attacked the captain on September 30, 2026. Carrying roughly 174 to 180 people—mostly Israeli nationals traveling home from vacations—the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was roughly two hours into its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the assault began in the cockpit.
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national with 17 years of flying experience, was stabbed repeatedly by his colleague. Despite severe wounds to his head and hands, Machchhar fought back and managed to unlock the flight deck door.
Captain Smit Machchhar Recounts the Cockpit Struggle
Speaking from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi via a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar described the terrifying descent as the aircraft fell rapidly. Covered in blood and trapped on the floor, the veteran pilot relied on his training and faith to reach the latch.
I have been flying for the last 17 years, have been a captain for the last 11 years.
Smit Machchhar, Flydubai Captain, via Reuters
Machchhar told the prime minister that he recited a Hindu prayer to Hanuman during the ordeal. Prime Minister Modi praised the captain’s presence of mind, noting that his actions saved lives and preserved the professional standing of Indian aviators.
Passengers and Crew Intervene as Flight Plummets
When the cockpit door swung open, a handful of passengers and crew members rushed forward to assist. Among them was Dr. Shota Musaev, an Israeli dentist traveling on the flight, who found the attacker sitting on top of the bleeding captain.
Musaev and other passengers wrestled the violent first officer, using headphone cords and plastic zip ties to restrain him. Another passenger, Yaniv Hayun, stepped into the cockpit during the chaos. Hayun later recounted to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he pulled back on the controls to help level the aircraft, crediting tips he picked up watching the television series “Mayday” (also known as Air Crash Investigation
).
A deadheading pilot already on board then entered the flight deck to take full control. The aircraft was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where ground authorities provided medical care, food, and shelter to the shaken travelers before a replacement flight brought them to Tel Aviv.
Investigation and Political Fallout Across the Region
The suspected attacker, an Omani national, was arrested upon landing in Saudi Arabia. Officials in both Israel and the UAE have officially labeled the event a terrorist act.
Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that the co-pilot was suicidal and had undergone Islamist radical indoctrination, adding that Israeli authorities are investigating whether outside parties orchestrated the plot. Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the UAE president, commended Captain Machchhar for embodying courage and responsibility against a terrorist threat.
In response to the incident, Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith announced a full internal investigation. The carrier suspended all flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv until at least October 15, leaving numerous Israeli travelers temporarily stranded in the UAE before local airlines secured approvals to repatriate them.
