FlyDubai captain describes fight with attacker in cockpit
In short
Capt. Smit Machchhar was stabbed while fighting off an attack in the cockpit of FlyDubai Flight 1073, and was later hailed for his heroism. ABC News reported the suspect was his co-pilot, identified by sources familiar with the investigation as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami, who allegedly seized the controls and made the plane plunge. Recovering in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates, Machchhar told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he opened the cockpit door and passengers then subdued the suspect.
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Capt. Smit Machchhar was attacked in the cockpit of FlyDubai Flight 1073 and fought off his assailant, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reported that the 38-year-old captain was hailed for his heroism after being stabbed. ABC News reported that the flight was bound for Tel Aviv earlier in the week and that the captain is recovering in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates. [ 1 , 3 ]
ABC News reported that the suspect was Machchhar's co-pilot, and that multiple sources familiar with the investigation identified him as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami. According to officials cited by ABC, the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a weapon inside the cockpit, took the controls and made the plane plunge. [ 3 ]
In a speakerphone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Machchhar described how the attack unfolded. He said the co-pilot asked to pray, which he described as normal during flights, and that a few minutes later he felt a blow to his head. “My first thought was that there was a catastrophic damage to the aircraft, and something is not right. But then, after that, the blow kept coming one after the other, and that's when I realized that it's not the aircraft; it's the other guy who was in the cockpit with me,” he said, according to ABC News. He said his vision was blurred and that he felt the plane descend. [ 3 ]
Machchhar said he realised he had “one last fight left in me.” “I gave everything that I had, and just went for the door and opened the door,” he said. Investigators said that once the cockpit door was open, passengers got in, fought off the suspect and took back the controls. ABC News identified the passenger who removed the suspect from the cockpit as Yaniv Hayun, a plumber. [ 3 ]
CNN reported that the pilot told Netanyahu new details about the attack. ABC News reported that Netanyahu, in the same call, expressed his gratitude for preventing the co-pilot from harming more people. The documents do not say what charges the suspect faces or where the flight departed from. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The attack took place inside an airliner cockpit in flight, and ABC News's account that the alleged assailant was the co-pilot raises questions about cockpit security and crew screening, although the documents do not say what procedures, if any, are under review. That Israel's prime minister personally thanked the captain reflects the attention governments give to an incident on a flight to Tel Aviv. The documents do not say what charges the suspect faces or how investigators classify the case.
Key facts
- Capt. Smit Machchhar was the captain of FlyDubai Flight 1073 and was stabbed during an attack in the cockpit. [ 1 , 3 ]
- ABC News reported the suspect was Machchhar's co-pilot, identified by multiple sources familiar with the investigation as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami, who allegedly attacked the captain with a weapon and took the controls, making the plane plunge. [ 3 ]
- Machchhar told Netanyahu the co-pilot requested to pray, which he said is normal during flights, and that minutes later he felt a blow to his head. [ 3 ]
- Machchhar said his vision was blurred and he felt the plane descend; he then opened the cockpit door, letting passengers in to fight off the suspect and retake the controls, investigators said. [ 3 ]
- ABC News identified the passenger who removed the suspect from the cockpit as Yaniv Hayun, a plumber. [ 3 ]
- Machchhar spoke with Netanyahu by speakerphone while recovering in a hospital in the United Arab Emirates, and told him new details about the attack. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The Wall Street Journal described Machchhar as 38 years old. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- The date, departure point and in-flight location of Flight 1073. The documents say only that the flight was to Tel Aviv earlier in the week; no date, origin or location for the attack is given.
- The identity, status and motive of the suspect. ABC News attributes the name Hamam Al Hammami and the description of him as the co-pilot to multiple sources familiar with the investigation; the other documents do not name the suspect or say he was the co-pilot.
- What charges the suspect faces and how investigators classify the case. No document mentions charges, custody or any terrorism classification.
- The captain's current medical condition and the extent of his injuries. Documents say he was stabbed and is recovering in an Emirates hospital but give no further medical detail.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The Wall Street Journal reports that Capt. Smit Machchhar fought off a cockpit attack on FlyDubai Flight 1073 and was hailed for his heroism after being stabbed (Oct. 2). [ 1 ]
- CNN reports that the FlyDubai pilot told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu new details about the cockpit attack (Oct. 3). [ 2 ]
- ABC News publishes the captain's account, given by speakerphone from a hospital in the United Arab Emirates (Oct. 4). [ 3 ]