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Co-Pilot Attacked Indian Pilot, Damaged Controls Mid-Flight, Netanyahu Reveals
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News18•02-10-2026, 11:38
Co-Pilot Attacked Indian Pilot, Damaged Controls Mid-Flight, Netanyahu Reveals
- •An Omani co-pilot reportedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar with a sharp weapon and attempted to damage flight controls with his feet during a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- •The incident was revealed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson, David Mencer, who heard details from a passenger who intervened.
- •Captain Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker, who was restrained with earphone cords and plastic cuffs.
- •Two non-duty aviators helped operate the aircraft, which made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
- •Israeli officials, including Defence Minister Israel Katz, characterized the incident as an attempted terror attack, while the Indian pilot is recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital.
Key Questions Answered
The Omani co-pilot attacked Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with a sharp weapon and used his feet to damage the aircraft's controls in an apparent suicide and terror attempt while flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. A passenger entered the cockpit to help overpower the attacker, and the flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Crew members and passengers intervened after the captain managed to open the cockpit door, using earphone cords and plastic cuffs to restrain the co-pilot on the floor.
Captain Smit Machchhar is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, where he was visited by Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal. The Indian Embassy reported that the pilot is in good health and recovering well.
