Zim Now International Desk
Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has described how he fought through serious injuries to open a cockpit door and allow others to intervene during an attack aboard a flydubai flight carrying 174 people.
Machchhar is recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital after the September 30 incident aboard flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The UAE Embassy in India has said he is recovering well under medical care.
In a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 3, the captain recalled being struck from behind inside the cockpit. He initially thought something had gone wrong with the aircraft, before repeated blows made him realise his co-pilot was attacking him.
His vision became blurred, but he could sense the aircraft descending sharply.
Machchhar said he initially managed to open the cockpit door, only for his attacker to close it again. Lying injured on the floor and hearing screams, he forced himself to make another attempt.
“I had that one last fight left in me,” he said.
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He reached the door and opened it, allowing those waiting outside to enter and intervene, according to his account reported by The Indian Express. Passengers and crew helped regain control, and the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Speaking separately to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, Machchhar said his 17 years of flying experience helped him recognise the danger as the aircraft lost altitude.
According to the Indian prime minister’s office, he described making a final effort to open the door because he was determined to protect the passengers despite his injuries.
The captain also credited his faith with helping him endure the ordeal, saying he drew strength from reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu devotional hymn.
Modi praised his presence of mind and commitment to passenger safety, while thanking Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the medical care provided. The conversation also touched on Machchhar’s two young children and his determination to recover.
Meanwhile, the investigation has produced new allegations about the planning behind the attack.
Reuters reported on October 5 that two Israeli officials familiar with the inquiry said the co-pilot had told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before joining flydubai. Another source briefed on the investigation alleged that he intended to crash the aircraft into Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv.
Those accounts were provided anonymously and remain investigative claims rather than findings established in court.
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