Flydubai pilot | DD News

October 19, 2026 8:36 AM

Captain Smit Machchhar reveals more details of the flydubai incident; says he hopes to return to action soon

Recovering well at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi, Captain Smit Machchhar has given a detailed account of what he recalls from the day of the incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. In interviews with The National and Sky News Arabia, published on 17th October evening, Captain Smit recounted how he was attacked by his co-pilot on the Dubai to Tel Aviv flight on 30th September. He has described the repeated blows, his attempts to get help, the cockpit door opening and shutting, and how he r...

October 18, 2026 11:51 AM

‘You can’t die like this’: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar recounts cockpit attack, fight to survive in flydubai flight

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar initially thought something had broken off the roof of his aircraft and struck him on the back of his head before realising he was being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month. "I didn't know at that point what had hit me," Machchhar said in an interview with Sky News Arabia on Saturday, recounting how a routine flight turned into a struggle for survival. He said the flight had proceeded normally, with all form...

October 6, 2026 10:16 AM

Flydubai co-pilot completed portion of his flight training in New Zealand, police says

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash a plane last week was in New Zealand seven years ago to complete a portion of his flight training for a U.K.-based company, New Zealand police said in a statement on Tuesday. Police said the man was in New Zealand between November 2018 and May 2019 on a six-month student visa. "Immigration records show he arrived in New Zealand on 30 November 2018 and departed 23 May 2019," New Zealand Assistant Commissioner Michael J...

October 5, 2026 1:34 PM

Co-pilot planned flydubai attack before joining airline, two Israeli officials say

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane has told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before he was hired by the Dubai state-owned airline, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the probe. A third source briefed on the UAE probe said the co-pilot, an Omani national, had planned to crash Wednesday's flight into Ben-Gurion airport near Tel Aviv. He had also operated a flight to Tel Aviv earlier this year and intended to hijack and c...

October 5, 2026 10:21 AM

Australia probes flydubai co-pilot’s links to the country, police say

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday. The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team – which comprises federal police, Victorian state police and the ASIO intelligence agency – was "investigating the man's links to Australia," the Australian Federal Police spokesperson said. Two sources briefed on the inve...

October 4, 2026 2:19 PM

Explainer: What do we know about flydubai flight 1073?

Here is what we know, and don't know, about the reported attempt by the copilot of flydubai flight 1073 to crash the plane on September 30 before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLANE? The flight, carrying more than 170 mostly Israeli passengers and crew, departed Dubai at 0305 GMT, according to flight data reviewed by Reuters. At 0521 GMT in Saudi airspace it made a sudden, sharp turn and plunged towards the ground twice, before stabilising. The plane fell more than 16...

October 4, 2026 2:16 PM

Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe in attempted ‘terrorist attack’, UAE says

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel, attempted to carry out a "terrorist attack" with an axe during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday. The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. A second source briefed on the investigation confirmed the co-pilot’s name. UAE authorities did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation of his identit...

October 1, 2026 1:12 PM

‘An Indian prevented 9/11 like tragedy’: PM Modi lauds Captain Smit Machchhar who saved lives on flydubai flight

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised Indian Captain Smit Machchhar's bravery for foiling his co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash a flydubai flight to Israel and said that his courageous act fills every Indian's heart with pride. Addressing an event in New Delhi, he said Captain Machchhar has showed great patience, acumen and bravery. "And like Israeli PM (Benjamin Netanyahu) today said that this Indian thwarted 9/11 (like attack). For every Indian, Smit's bravery fills our heart wi...

October 1, 2026 10:43 AM

PM Modi hails Captain Smit Machchhar as hero after Flydubai flight crisis

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, for his courage in helping avert a major in-flight crisis after he was seriously injured during an alleged cockpit attack. Calling Machchhar a “HERO”, PM Modi said the pilot displayed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others despite being seriously injured. “Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being...