New Delhi: Indian flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar has revealed fresh details of the September 30 cockpit attack aboard Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight FZ1073, saying his Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, used prayer as a ruse before attacking him with a crash axe.
Speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday, Machchhar said the co-pilot stood up to pray and, after four to five minutes, struck him repeatedly from behind.
Initially believing the aircraft had suffered an impact, he later realised he was being attacked. His vision became severely blurred and he felt the aircraft descending sharply.
Machchhar said he opened the cockpit door once, but al-Hammami shut it, causing him to fall.
He then made a second attempt, reaching the door’s internal twist mechanism despite his injuries. Passengers waiting outside entered, overpowered the attacker and helped regain control of the aircraft carrying 174 people.
Passenger Yaniv Hayun also described entering the cockpit, restraining al-Hammami and helping stabilize the aircraft until an off-duty pilot took over. The flight later landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu called Machchhar a hero and invited him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel’s Independence Day ceremony.
Meanwhile, investigations are examining al-Hammami’s background and reported previous flying restrictions in Oman over alleged extremist concerns, as well as aviation security procedures surrounding foreign pilots operating flights to Israel.
