{"id":6710,"date":"2026-10-02T23:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T23:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=6710"},"modified":"2026-10-02T23:03:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T23:03:01","slug":"flydubai-pilot-recounts-cockpit-stabbing-in-call-with-indian-pm-modi-aviation-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=6710","title":{"rendered":"Flydubai pilot recounts cockpit stabbing in call with Indian PM Modi | Aviation News"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Smit Machchhar recalls mid-air disaster after co-pilot\u2019s attack on flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Published On 2 Oct 2026<\/span>2 Oct 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to crash a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, has shared a public account of how he managed to open the cockpit door and let passengers take control of the plane despite his injuries.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Friday from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi via video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said that he knew the aircraft was going down as he lay bleeding on the floor.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI had suffered so many injuries that I had collapsed. At that time, I could feel that the aircraft was going down<\/a>. I knew this was the last push, that the door was right there,\u201d he said in a nearly 10-minute video released on the prime minister\u2019s social media channels.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cI was being hit even then, but I just opened the door and everyone came in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Machchhar, who has 17 years of aviation experience, including 11 as a captain, said that experience helped him grasp what was happening even while wounded.<\/p>\n

He told Modi he had recited a Hindu devotional prayer during the ordeal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know God himself saved me,\u201d he said, in an emotional exchange with Modi, who is from the same home state of Gujarat.<\/p>\n

Modi praised Machchhar\u2019s bravery, saying his presence of mind had saved lives and the reputation of Indian pilots.<\/p>\n

Machchhar said he allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot and let a second pair of Flydubai pilots take control and land the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n

The Flydubai flight was carrying 174 people as it briefly plunged around 17,000 feet (5,180 metres) before it was brought back under control.<\/p>\n

UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash has called the incident a \u201cterrorist act\u201d, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone \u201cIslamist radical indoctrination\u201d and appeared \u201csuicidal\u201d.<\/p>\n

US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran would be \u201chit very hard\u201d if found to be linked to the attack.<\/p>\n

The United Arab Emirates has said it will launch an investigation<\/a> into the incident.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Smit Machchhar recalls mid-air disaster after co-pilot\u2019s attack on flydubai flight to Tel Aviv. Published On 2 Oct 20262 Oct 2026 Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to crash a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, has shared a public account of how he managed to open the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6710","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t