A co-pilot attacked his captain with a cockpit axe on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, causing the plane to plunge more than 17,000 feet, according to the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general. Passengers entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker, allowing the flight to land safely.
Capt Smit Machchhar, the pilot, was stabbed during the attack. He told reporters he was lying on the cockpit floor injured when he realised the plane was sinking and had to act.
“I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,” he explained.
Descent and Rescue
The flight carried more than 170 people. Two and a half hours into the journey, it fell more than 17,000 feet. Machchhar said he knew he had to act quickly to prevent disaster.
The passengers responded to the emergency. They entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker, giving Machchhar the chance to regain control of the aircraft.
The on-duty crew landed the plane safely.
Attacker’s Background
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot was an Omani national. He spoke to Fox News on Thursday about the incident.
Netanyahu described the attacker’s behaviour after he was subdued. “Kill me, kill me!” the attacker called out to the crew, according to Netanyahu.
“So, it’s clear that he was suicidal⦠It looks very likely that he was going to down the plane,” Netanyahu added.
He also said the attacker “underwent Islamist radical indoctrination”.
The UAE has begun investigating whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose, according to the country’s state news agency.
Investigation Continues
The UAE attorney general told state media that investigations were ongoing to determine the full circumstances and motives of the incident.
“Kill me, kill me!”
That phrase, repeated by the attacker, suggests a man willing to die rather than be captured. Netanyahu’s reading of the situation — that the attacker was suicidal and likely intended to crash the plane — is a grim assessment of the moment.
Pilot’s Recovery
Machchhar was taken to a nearby hospital before being airlifted to Abu Dhabi, where he is reported to be in a stable condition. The Indian embassy in the UAE said on Thursday that he was in “good health and recovering well”.
“I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again,” the pilot said.
The recovery process will take time. Machchhar’s injuries were serious enough to require airlifting to Abu Dhabi, yet his condition remains stable.
Key Facts From the Report
- The co-pilot attacked the captain with a cockpit axe.
- The plane fell more than 17,000 feet.
- Passengers entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker.
- The flight landed safely.
- The attacker is an Omani national.
- Netanyahu said the attacker appeared suicidal and underwent Islamist indoctrination.
- The UAE is investigating whether the incident was terrorism-linked.
The incident raises questions about airline security and the screening of pilots. A cockpit axe is usually kept in the cockpit in case of emergencies, but the fact that the attacker was able to use it against his captain suggests a failure in the system designed to protect against such threats.
The investigation will need to answer several questions:
- How was the attacker screened before the flight?
- Were there warning signs that went unnoticed?
- Was the attack premeditated, or did it happen spontaneously?
These are uncomfortable questions for an industry that relies on trust between crew and passenger. The fact that passengers had to intervene to save the day is a stark reminder of how fragile that trust can be.
The UAE’s investigation will determine whether the attack was an act of terrorism or a personal tragedy. For now, the plane landed safely, and the passengers and crew escaped. That is the outcome that matters most.
Source material: “Flydubai co-pilot attacked captain with axe, UAE official says,” the BBC.
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