Imagine sitting in a high altitude cockpit flying at cruise speed, thinking about routine flight parameters, when a brutal blow shatters the back of your head. That was the grim reality for Indian flydubai captain Smit Machchhar on September 30, 2026. Operating flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv carrying around 180 passengers, Machchhar faced an unthinkable crisis when his Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly launched a violent axe attack inside the flight deck.
Weeks after the terrifying incident, Machchhar opened up in interviews with Sky News Arabia and shared harrowing details about what happened during those chaotic moments. His story isn't just about survival—it's a masterclass in human resilience, quick thinking, and aviation safety under extreme fire.
The First Blow and the Initial Shock
The flight had been proceeding normally until the co-pilot mentioned he wanted to pray. Machchhar turned his attention away out of professional courtesy and routine cockpit etiquette. Moments later, a heavy impact struck the back of his head.
"When I was just checking my computer for the timing and everything, suddenly there was a very hard hit at the back of my head," Machchhar recalled.
His initial thought wasn't an assault. Aviation training primes pilots to look for structural failures first. He assumed something had broken off the aircraft roof or that a catastrophic mechanical failure had punched through the hull. Within seconds, however, reality set in. The blows kept coming.
"He kept on hitting," Machchhar said.
The heavy strikes immediately restricted his vision to just a few inches. Operating on pure instinct and years of professional flight training, he unbuckled his seatbelt, turned around, and threw up his hands to block the incoming strikes, sustaining defensive injuries to his hands and arms. It was clear his colleague was attempting to hijack and crash the aircraft.
I Can Not Die Like This
As the aircraft experienced a sudden and alarming drop in altitude, Machchhar drifted in and out of consciousness. The cockpit descended into a nightmare of blood, confusion, and violence. Knowing that help needed to enter the flight deck immediately, he reached for the cockpit door release switch nearby and screamed for another off-duty captain who was on board as part of the operating crew.
He managed to open the cockpit door before losing consciousness. Passengers and crew members heard the commotion and rushed to help, confronting the attacker. The door briefly shut again as the assailant threatened others, but the collective defense of everyone on board swung into action.
Lying face down between the cockpit and the galley, drifting in and out of darkness, Machchhar faced a defining mental barrier.
"There was a moment where I realised and I told myself that, Smith, do something. You can not die like this," he recounted.
That internal drive kept him fighting. He braced his legs against the interior fittings and pushed himself forward, refusing to give in to the injuries sustained to his head, neck, and hands.
Teamwork in the Sky
While Machchhar fought for his life on the floor, another colleague stepped into the cockpit and took over the controls. Working alongside the remaining cabin crew and alert passengers, they managed to restrain the attacker and stabilize the aircraft.
The flight was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. Machchhar noted that he only truly felt safe when the wheels touched down on the tarmac and medical professionals rushed into the galley to attend to him. All 180 people on board walked away alive, avoiding a catastrophic tragedy.
Israeli and regional authorities launched extensive investigations into the security lapses and the motives behind the attack, probing whether there were any broader terror links. Yet, beyond the ongoing security reviews, the incident remains a testament to the split-second decisions made by a seasoned Indian commander.
Recovering from his injuries weeks later, Machchhar expressed profound gratitude for the medical care he received in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. More than anything, he carries the memory of the collective willpower shown by everyone on that flight—a shared refusal to let disaster win.
