‘You can’t die like this’: Indian pilot Machchhar recounts cockpit attack, fight to survive in flydubai flight

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar initially thought something had broken off the roof of his aircraft and struck him on the back of his head before realising he was being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month.

“I didn’t know at that point what had hit me,” Mr. Machchhar said in an interview with Sky News Arabia on Saturday (October 17, 2026), recounting how a routine flight turned into a struggle for survival.

He said the flight had proceeded normally, with all formalities completed and nothing unusual to suggest what was to follow. It was the first time he had flown with the co-pilot, he said.

About two hours into the flight, by his estimate, another captain who was scheduled to operate the return journey came into the cockpit to greet them.

The co-pilot had wanted to use the lavatory around the same time and returned after his break. The captains continued talking for a few minutes before the co-pilot said he wanted to pray and asked the other captain to step out, Mr. Machchhar said in the interview.

Mr. Machchhar said the request did not initially appear unusual. Pilots could hand over the controls during their rest period, he explained, adding that praying during that time was permitted.

He was seated and checking his computer for landing timings and fuel when the attack began. The co-pilot was standing behind him and praying.

Suddenly there was a “very hard hit” at the back of his head, said the 38-year-old pilot. “It was quite hard and I felt that it was something which was very strong.”

He initially thought something had broken off the aircraft’s roof and struck him, but realised within seconds that he was being attacked. He said the blows narrowed his vision to a few inches, something he later learnt from doctors was a consequence of the attack.

His first response was to protect himself from further blows. He unbuckled his seat belt, tried to block the attack and sustained an injury to his hand. He then attempted to call the other captain back into the cockpit.

Mr. Machchhar said he was screaming his colleague’s name and trying to operate the switch to open the door when he lost consciousness for the first time.