Captain Smit Machchhar has revealed harrowing new details regarding his fight to save the passengers and crew of FlyDubai flight FZ1073. In an emotional telephone conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, released Saturday evening, the captain described the desperate moments he fought to regain control of the aircraft.
Captain Machchhar told Netanyahu that despite being in a critical state, he felt he had “one more fight left” in him. As the co-pilot repeatedly attacked him and forced the aircraft into a steep descent, Machchhar struggled to open the cockpit door to allow help inside to save the 174 passengers and six crew members.
Recalling the onset of the attack, the captain explained that the co-pilot had requested a moment to pray in the cockpit. Considering this a routine request, Machchhar noted, “out of respect for him, I didn’t look back.”
“A few minutes later, I felt a strong impact and thought something had happened to the plane. But then I was hit again and realized it was him. I opened the cockpit door once, but he closed it, and I fell to the floor,” the captain recounted.
As his vision blurred and the aircraft began to plunge, Machchhar attempted to reopen the door while passengers outside tried to gain entry using the access code. He described the terrifying sound of the aircraft diving and the screams of the passengers.
In a final effort, Machchhar reached for the internal twist handle and, with a “sharp, quick turn,” managed to lock the door open. This allowed passengers to enter the cockpit, subdue the co-pilot, and stabilize the aircraft.
Prime Minister Netanyahu praised Machchhar’s “unbelievable courage,” designating him a hero to the people of India, Israel, and the world. In a gesture of immense honor usually reserved for Israeli citizens, Netanyahu invited Machchhar and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a celebratory flame on Israel’s next Independence Day.
Israeli Ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley was present at the captain’s bedside during the call, extending an invitation for Machchhar and his family to visit Israel. Additionally, Dubai’s Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid, visited the hospital, stating that the captain “embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life.”
Sheikh Hamdan added, “From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise. We are proud that he is part of our team… a nation of compassion, a nation of peace and a nation of life.”
In a related development, The Telegraph reported on Sunday that the co-pilot, identified by various media outlets as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, studied aviation at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. The report claims that during his studies, al-Hammami posted misogynistic comments on social media and expressed support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UAE’s prosecutor general stated on Saturday that the co-pilot used a crash axe against the captain in an “attempt to carry out a terrorist attack,” a sentiment echoed by the UAE president’s diplomatic adviser, Dr. Anwar Gargash, who labeled the incident “a dangerous terrorist act.”