New Delhi: An Indian pilot has been praised for his actions after being seriously injured during an attack inside the cockpit of a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Captain Smit Machchhar was operating Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel on September 30 when an altercation involving the two pilots took place inside the cockpit.
According to accounts reported by Israeli officials, the co pilot attacked Machchhar with a knife while the aircraft was in flight. The plane subsequently made a rapid descent before being diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The flight was carrying 174 people. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 8, landed safely at Tabuk after the incident. Passengers and crew members helped restrain the attacker, while other Flydubai pilots who were travelling on the flight assisted in regaining control of the aircraft.
Israeli officials said Machchhar was seriously injured but managed to release the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter. The precise sequence of events inside the cockpit remains under investigation.
Flight tracking data showed that the aircraft lost a significant amount of altitude during the incident. Reuters reported that the plane dropped nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, where it made an emergency landing. The passengers were later transported to Tel Aviv on another Flydubai aircraft.
Machchhar was taken to a hospital in Tabuk for medical treatment. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said he was in stable condition and receiving care.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar's courage following the incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised the pilot and said his actions helped save the lives of people on board the aircraft.
Netanyahu said the incident appeared to involve an attempt to crash the aircraft. However, the motive behind the attack and the precise circumstances that led to the confrontation have not been established.
The identity and nationality of the co pilot have not been officially confirmed by Flydubai in public statements. The airline has said it cannot disclose personal information about its crew.
Flydubai said an altercation took place in the flight deck and that the aircraft was diverted to Tabuk. The airline has urged caution over speculation while the investigation continues.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority said it had launched an investigation into the incident. Its investigation teams are working with relevant authorities to establish the causes and circumstances of what happened, including operational and security aspects.
The incident has raised questions about cockpit security because the reported attack involved members of the flight crew. Investigators will need to establish how the confrontation began, how the cockpit was accessed during the struggle and how the aircraft was brought under control.
Flydubai temporarily suspended flights between the United Arab Emirates and Israel following the incident. The airline said the decision was connected to the ongoing situation and investigation.
The incident also highlighted the role played by passengers, cabin crew and other pilots on board. Their intervention helped prevent the confrontation from continuing while the injured captain remained involved in efforts to regain control of the aircraft.
The flight eventually reached the ground safely in Saudi Arabia, and all those on board survived the incident.
The motive for the attack and the full sequence of events inside the cockpit remain unclear. Investigators in the UAE and other relevant authorities are continuing to examine what happened before, during and after the aircraft's rapid descent and emergency landing in Tabuk.