Flydubai captain describes blocking axe blows as co-pilot attacked him

The Guardian World Sunday 18 October 2026, 17:27 UTC By Reuters 1 min read

Key Points

Capt Smit Machchhar said he screamed for help as he reached to open the cockpit door on flight FZ1073The captain of a flydubai flight who was attacked by a co-pilot who intended to crash the plane has described ⁠blocking axe blows to his head and screaming for help as he reached to open the cockpit door. Capt Smit ⁠Machchhar has been hailed ⁠as a hero for his role in averting disaster on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month, helping to thwart what the UAE ⁠attorney general has said...

Capt Smit Machchhar said he screamed for help as he reached to open the cockpit door on flight FZ1073

The captain of a flydubai flight who was attacked by a co-pilot who intended to crash the plane has described ⁠blocking axe blows to his head and screaming for help as he reached to open the cockpit door.

Capt Smit ⁠Machchhar has been hailed ⁠as a hero for his role in averting disaster on the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month, helping to thwart what the UAE ⁠attorney general has said was an attempted suicide attack by the co-pilot who had intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion airport.

Flydubai (PERSON) Capt Smit Machchhar (PERSON) Capt Smit (PERSON) Dubai (LOCATION) Tel Aviv (LOCATION) Ben Gurion (PERSON)

Originally published by The Guardian World Read original →

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Flydubai captain describes blocking axe blows as co-pilot attacked him

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