The Flydubai captain who was wounded by his co-pilot has recalled the moments before the attack. Captain Smit Machchhar and co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami were piloting Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when al-Hammami attacked Machchhar with an emergency crash axe. The aircraft dropped 16,000 feet in 30 seconds but all 172 passengers and crew members were unharmed.
Machchhar told The National newspaper, from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, that he was checking information on the computer when he heard a man praying behind him. Out of respect, he did not turn to look at him but was then repeatedly struck over the head. Machchhar attemped to block the blows as he faded in and out of consciousness with impaired vision.
“There was a moment that I realised, and I told myself that, Smit, do something. You can’t die like this.”
Once he was able to free himself from the seatbelt, he managed to open the cockpit door and alert his colleagues to what was happening:
“I remember being face down. And, of course, the panic which was there, the screaming which was there.”
Emirati authorities believe al-Hammami intended to fly the plane into Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, in a ‘suicide attack.’ They allege the Omani national was radicalised while studying in Melbourne. The UAE attorney general alleged the co-pilot had admitted he was inspired by the September 11 attacks carried out by al-Qaeda and had begun to drift towards terrorism and extremism while in Australia.
Al-Hammami worked for Oman Air for several years before being barred from flying and assigned a desk job after authorities flagged extremist activity and radical views online. He was then hired by Flydubai in Feb. 2026 without proper background checks.
Machchhar also commended his fellow colleague, who was traveling on the aircraft. After passengers and two other pilots overcame al-Hammami, they were able to safely land the plane in Saudi Arabia. Machchhar said:
“My other colleague who took over the controls and saved the day again is commendable.”
He said the scariest moment was feeling the aircraft’s nose pointing sharply down.
Do you think Capt. Machchhar is rightly hailed as a hero? Let us know in the comments.
Aviation Reporter - A recent BA Journalism graduate from the London College of Communication, Emilia combines a strong background in reporting and digital media with a deep passion for aviation. During her time at LCC, she served as a student ambassador and peer mentor while actively developing her social media expertise. In February 2026, Emilia was selected as a John Schofield Trust Student Fellow, gaining valuable industry mentorship to further hone her craft as an aviation journalist.
