From Dw · · 1m 10s
Flydubai pilot speaks for first time
Indian pilot who was stabbed by copilot during flight shares his ordeal with Modi.
In brief
Indian pilot who was stabbed by copilot during flight shares his ordeal with Modi. Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar described his near-death experience after being stabbed by his copilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia. Originally reported by Dw.
Pilot shares ordeal
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar described his near-death experience after being stabbed by his copilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
“I had so many wounds. I had fallen down”
Pilot hospitalized in Abu Dhabi
Captain Smit Machchhar is currently hospitalized in Abu Dhabi after being seriously wounded.
Pilot's life threat
Machchhar said he was fighting for his life and realized passengers would lose their lives if he didn't get up.
“I was fighting for my life. At one point, I realized that if I didn’t get up … then passengers would lose their lives.”
Flight diverted to Saudi Arabia
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with 180 Israeli passengers onboard.
UAE labels incident terrorist act
A senior UAE official labeled the incident a terrorist attack, with Israel using similar terms.
Suspect arrested in Saudi Arabia
The suspected Omani national attacker was arrested in Saudi Arabia with unclear motive, described as having undergone Islamist radical indoctrination.
The takeaway
Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar described his near-death experience after being stabbed by his copilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia.
