Smit Machchhar saves Flydubai jet after cockpit stabbing
By Daniel Okafor · Reporting from New York ·
Captain Smit Machchhar and Israeli passengers prevented a mid-air disaster after a co-pilot attempted to crash their flight, proving that human intervention remains the final line of defense.
Death in the clouds over the desert
The knife flashed in the narrow cabin. The flight left Dubai for Tel Aviv carrying 174 passengers. The co-pilot, an Omani national, turned on the man beside him at 34,000 feet, according to NPR. He stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, and began screaming "Allahu Akbar" while bashing the control panel. The plane plummeted 17,000 feet over Jordanian airspace.
Passenger Peleg Italy said the fall shocked him. Adam Polo said people started shouting about blood and a stabbing. The jet transmitted squawk code 7700 for a general emergency and then 7500 for unlawful interference. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker apparently tried to crash the plane.
Passengers storm the cockpit
Captain Machchhar had thirteen years of commercial flying experience. When the co-pilot attacked, the veteran pilot resisted serious wounds and unlocked the cockpit door. Passenger Yaniv Hayon broke into the cockpit and pulled the attacker away from the controls. Yaniv said he watched Air Crash Investigation and pulled the controls to level the plane.
Passenger Zvika Meness said three men jumped on the assailant and tied him up with zip ties. A second pair of pilots on board took the controls and landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The aircraft landed safely with visible rudder damage. The hospital treated both pilots while Saudi authorities arrested the attacker.
Can airlines screen a pilot's mind?
Critics argue that airlines cannot screen every pilot's mind or predict sudden violence. Flydubai urged parties to refrain from speculation while authorities gather the facts. But the historical record shows that cockpit security broke once the internal barrier failed. Like Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961, where a hijacking by individuals seeking asylum led to fuel exhaustion and a crash-landing, survival depended on human intervention.
The route exists because of the Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic normalization between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called the incident a jihadist attack, according to MercoPress. Prime Minister Netanyahu called Captain Machchhar a hero of extraordinary bravery. Israel will now increase security checks on international pilots flying into the country.
Doron Spielman said the government will know the identity of every pilot flying into Israel. Miki Zohar thanked Saudi officials for helping passengers. The descent stopped because a wounded pilot and ordinary passengers refused to let the aircraft fall.
Sources
- BBC: Israel-Dubai flight: Netanyahu names 'hero' pilot attacked on flight as passengers arrive back in Israel
- CBC News: Passengers foil bid to crash Dubai-Tel Aviv flight after co-pilot stabbed pilot, Israel says
- NPR: On flight to Israel, pilot is stabbed, plane plunges before passengers tackle attacker
- MercoPress: Pilot stabs another on a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight and passengers subdue him
- BBC: Passengers describe stabbing on Israel-bound plane