# FlyDubai Captain Shares Terror Attack Details

> FlyDubai captain reveals how he overcame co-pilot's terrorist attack on flight FZ1073.
- Title: FlyDubai Captain Shares Terror Attack Details · euronews
- Summary: FlyDubai captain reveals how he overcame co-pilot's terrorist attack on flight FZ1073. FlyDubai captain Smit Machchhar survived a terrorist attack by…
- Keywords: breaking, flydubai, captain, smit machchhar, netanyahu, co-pilot, terrorist attack, flight fz1073, uae, israel, seahawks, news
- Source: euronews — https://euronews.com/2026/10/04/flydubai-captain-said-he-had-one-more-fight-left-in-me-and-opened-cockpit-door
- Author: Peter Barabas
- Published: 2026-10-04T09:37:12+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: breaking, flydubai, captain, smit machchhar, netanyahu, co-pilot, terrorist attack, flight fz1073, uae, israel, seahawks, news
## Captain reveals attack details
FlyDubai hero captain Smit Machchhar shared new details of his fight to save passengers aboard flight FZ1073 during a telephone conversation with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

> I felt I had one more fight left in me
## Co-pilot attacked cockpit
The UAE-led investigation reported the co-pilot used a crash axe to attack the captain and tried to take control of the plummeting plane in a terrorist attack.

> terrorist attack
## Captain's critical state
Machchhar described how the co-pilot asked to pray in the cockpit, which he did not consider unusual, and then attacked him after 4-5 minutes with heavy blows.

> After 4-5 minutes, I felt a heavy blow to the back of my head
## Aircraft descent
Machchhar's vision became blurred as the aircraft went into a steep descent, and he tried to open the cockpit door but the co-pilot kept closing it.

> I felt how the aircraft went into a steep descent
## Captain opens cockpit door
Machchhar reached for the internal twist handle and with a sharp, quick turn opened the door, letting passengers in who subdued the co-pilot and stabilized the plane.

> a sharp, quick turn
## Netanyahu's praise
Netanyahu called Machchhar a hero with unbelievable courage and invited him and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to light a celebratory flame on Israel’s next Independence Day.

> You are a true hero of the brave peoples of India and Israel
## UAE leadership support
Dubai's Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid praised Machchhar for embodying courage, responsibility, and care for human life.

> embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life
## Co-pilot's background
British newspaper The Telegraph reported the co-pilot, Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, studied aviation at Buckinghamshire New University and made inflammatory social media posts.

> women should be stomped on
## Security concerns
Regional officials said UAE shared passenger lists with Israel ahead of the flight, raising questions over how the attacker evaded detection.

> how the attacker evaded detection
## Netanyahu's security review
Netanyahu ordered an examiner to review all security aspects regarding foreign civil aviation to Israel after the incident.

> appoint an examiner to review all security aspects
## Key takeaway

FlyDubai captain Smit Machchhar survived a terrorist attack by co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami on flight FZ1073, opening the cockpit door to save 174 passengers and 6 crew members.