'Terrorist act': UAE official on flydubai attack, praises India pilot Smit Machchhar
A UAE official has labeled an mid-air incident on a flydubai flight as a potential 'terrorist act' after a co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the plane. The Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, was praised for his bravery in securing the aircraft with the help of passengers.
Why it matters
The incident raises significant concerns regarding aviation security and the vetting of flight crew, prompting an international investigation involving the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
NEW DELHI: A UAE official has described the mid-air incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073 as a “terrorist act” while praising Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for his role in ensuring the aircraft landed safely, news agency AFP reported on Friday.The incident involved an alleged attack on Machchhar by his co-pilot. Machchhar was injured but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene.Three Israeli passengers reportedly helped subdue the attacker, while two additional pilots onboard took control of the aircraft and landed it safely in Saudi Arabia.This comes a day after UAE ordered a specialised investigation into the incident, involving an alleged attempt by an Omani co-pilot to crash the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
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