Captain Smit Machchhar, seriously wounded in the attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ 1073, was moved to tears while recounting the attack to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed, according to Abu Ali Express. Machchhar told Modi he gathered all his strength to open the cockpit door despite his stab wounds, describing the prime minister as his role model. The pilot also thanked the Israeli passengers and medical staff who saved his life.
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot seriously wounded in the attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ 1073, was moved to tears on Friday morning during a conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi. Machchhar told Modi that he gathered all his strength to open the cockpit door despite multiple stab wounds, saying, “I knew that if I didn’t get up and act, no one would.” He expressed deep gratitude to the Israeli passengers and medical personnel who treated him on board and saved his life, according to reports by N12 and Abu Ali Express.
The attack occurred on Wednesday, September 30, when the Omani co-pilot stabbed Machchhar and attempted to force the Boeing 737 into a terminal dive. Israeli passengers and crew subdued the attacker, and the aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog praised the passengers' heroism, and Defense Minister Israel Katz classified the event as a terrorist attack. Machchhar was initially listed in serious condition but later stabilized. By Thursday evening, the Indian ambassador to the UAE visited him and confirmed he was in good health and recovering, as The Zioneer reported at 18:19 Jerusalem on October 1.
The Zioneer has extensively covered the incident, including the identification of passenger Asaf Raguan as one of those who subdued the attacker, and Machchhar's own allegations of security failures by Flydubai, which he accused of hiring a terrorist. The airline's vetting and monitoring standards have come under scrutiny. The Omani co-pilot remains in Saudi custody, with investigations ongoing.
While Machchhar's recovery continues and he has been able to speak with world leaders, questions remain about how the co-pilot was able to carry out the attack and whether prior warnings were ignored. The broader security implications for flights between the UAE and Israel remain under review.
19 developments
- DevelopingModi: Spoke with Netanyahu, strategic partnership continues to strengthen
- ConfirmedNetanyahu: We tied stabbing pilot with headphone wire, he said 'Kill me'
- StrongNetanyahu hails four Israelis and Indian pilot as 'superheroes' for saving 174 lives
- StrongOhana: Dubai plane incident a 'great miracle,' warns of ongoing enemy attack efforts
Source and signal
- Open-source intake