Flydubai captain recounts fight during cockpit attack
Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar said he fought for his life after a co-pilot attacked him on a flight bound for Tel Aviv. In a call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said he opened the cockpit door so others could help, believing passengers were in danger. The reports did not establish the attacker’s motive.
Why it matters
The captain’s account adds direct evidence about how the crew stopped a potentially catastrophic in-flight security breach.
Sources
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Part of the October 3, 2026 brief.