"Blows Kept Coming": Hero Pilot Describes What Happened Inside flydubai Cockpit
A flydubai pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, recounted a violent mid-flight attack by his co-pilot during a flight to Israel. The pilot sustained serious injuries while defending the cockpit after realizing the co-pilot was the source of the blows.
Why it matters
This incident raises significant concerns regarding aviation security protocols and the mental health screening of flight crew members.
Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot who fought off an alleged attempt to seize control of a flydubai aircraft bound for Israel, has described to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the terrifying moments inside the cockpit when he realised that his co-pilot was attacking him. Machchhar, who was seriously injured in the incident, said the flight had begun normally and that he had been looking towards the front of the cockpit while his co-pilot prayed.Then, after several minutes, he felt a heavy blow to the back of his head."It was a normal flight and the co-pilot wanted to pray ... which a lot of locals do pray ...
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