The Indian pilot who was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot throughout a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv earlier this week is describing the second he managed to open the cockpit door, realizing he had “one final battle left in me.”
Capt. Smit Machchhar spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speaker cellphone dialog whereas the pilot was recovering in a hospital within the United Arab Emirates and the prime minister expressed his gratitude for stopping the co-pilot from harming extra folks.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar, October 3, 2026.
Israeli Prime Minister’s Workplace
The suspect, who a number of sources aware of the investigation identified as 29-year-old Hamam Al Hammami, allegedly attacked Machchhar with a weapon contained in the cockpit and took the controls of the airplane, making it plunge, in keeping with officers.
Machchhar informed Netanyahu the entire thing occurred all of the sudden after the co-pilot requested to hope, which he stated is regular throughout flights, after which a couple of minutes later he felt a blow to his head.
“My first thought was that there was a catastrophic injury to the plane, and one thing isn’t proper. However then, after that, the blow stored coming one after the opposite, and that is after I realized that it is not the plane; it is the opposite man who was within the cockpit with me,” he stated in his name with the prime minister.
Machchhar stated his imaginative and prescient was blurred from the blows and he felt the airplane descend. Regardless of struggling wounds from the blade, the captain stated he “had that one final battle left in me.”
Undated photograph of Indian pilot Smit Machchhar launched, September 30, 2026.
Israel Overseas Ministry by way of Reuters
He stated he realized ‘that if I do not do it, I am gonna die, and that is after I pushed in opposition to every little thing. I gave every little thing that I had, and simply went for the door and opened the door,” he stated.
The suspect was stopped after Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, permitting passengers to get in battle off the suspect, and take again the controls, investigators stated.
Yaniv Hayun, who works as a plumber, was the passenger who removed the suspect from the cockpit and initially took the airplane controls, crediting a TV present for understanding what to do in a flight emergency. He informed reporters that he want to meet Machchhar and thank him in individual.
Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar speaks throughout a video name with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he recovers in a hospital within the United Arab Emirates, Oct. 2, 2026.
Narendra Modi YouTube Channel/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
The captain informed Netanyahu that he too want to return the gratitude nose to nose.
Dr. Shota Musaev, a dentist who handled the captain’s wounds after he helped to tie up the suspect, additionally expressed needs to thank Machchhar in individual.
“We’ll say thanks very a lot for all,” Musaev told ABC News.
The captain informed Netanyahu that he too want to return the gratitude to the dentist nose to nose.
“He saved my life, to be trustworthy,” he stated.
The suspect has been taken into custody and the investigation is ongoing.
Netanyahu informed the captain that he’s invited to Israel the place he stated he might be handled as a hero.
