Flydubai Pilot Details Cockpit Assault: Harrowing In-Flight Account

“I fought for my life” — the captain’s account

The injured captain, Smit Machchhar from India, spoke by video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi while recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital. Machchhar said the minutes after the assault were a desperate struggle. Bandaged and connected to tubes, he told Modi he had been badly wounded and had fallen to the cabin floor.

Despite his injuries, Machchhar said he realised he had to get back up to protect the people on board. He described the emotional toll of the attack, saying he fought to survive and did not want passengers to lose their lives if he remained incapacitated.

What happened on board and how the plane was brought down safely

The incident occurred on a Flydubai Boeing 737 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, most of whom were Israeli nationals. Saudi authorities and initial reports say that the co-pilot attacked Machchhar with a knife inside the cockpit.

Machchhar was apparently able to open the cockpit door, allowing other crew or passengers to enter and restrain the alleged attacker. Flight-tracking service Flightradar24 showed a sudden loss of altitude: the jet reportedly dropped from roughly 10,000 metres to about 5,100 metres in about one minute. According to Flydubai, another crew member who happened to be on the flight took control and helped guide the aircraft into an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Official responses and praise for the captain

Political leaders applauded Machchhar’s actions. Prime Minister Modi called him a hero for preventing a possible catastrophe. Israeli and other politicians similarly commended the captain’s efforts to keep passengers safe on the flight that was bound for Tel Aviv.

Ongoing investigations and transfer of the suspect

The United Arab Emirates said it would carry out a full investigation into the episode. Saudi authorities reported that the co-pilot — identified as a national of Oman — was handed over on Thursday to Emirati authorities accompanied by a UAE security team. Saudi initial findings state that the co-pilot attacked the captain.

Background on the co-pilot: prior security concerns

US media outlets have reported that the co-pilot had previously been flagged as a security risk at a former employer, Oman Air. ABC News, citing senior intelligence and law enforcement sources, said the man had been suspended from pilot training at Oman Air after being identified as a potential security concern. The broadcaster reported that in 2024 authorities found extremist material linked to him when he was working there as a cadet.

CNN has published similar accounts. Despite the earlier concerns, the reports say the individual was later allowed to remain with the airline in a non-flying administrative capacity.

Accusations and international reactions

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the suspect of holding Islamist views and warned that authorities were probing whether he had been sent by external actors. “We are investigating whether he was sent, and whoever sent him will pay a very high price,” Netanyahu said in a video statement. On the question of Iranian involvement, he cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions and noted Israel did not receive a specific prior warning.

US President Donald Trump stated he believed Iran was involved “based on what I hear” and warned of severe repercussions if Iran were found to have played a role. “They will be hit very hard,” he said.

Travel disruption and repatriation efforts

Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel while authorities investigate, leaving many Israeli travellers stranded across the Emirates. Israeli media reported that more than 10,000 Israelis were affected in Dubai and elsewhere.

Repatriation began in the days after the incident: Arkia reportedly operated the first return flight from Dubai, and further flights were planned. El Al had initially delayed its planned return flights amid uncertainty over landing permissions; Israeli outlets later reported that the UAE had granted the necessary clearances.