Flydubai hijacking: Co-pilot performed prayer and hit me from the back, says hero pilot | TheStarTV.com

Flydubai hijacking: Co-pilot performed prayer and hit me from the back, says hero pilot

Published on 4 Oct 2026 7:42:46 PM

In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct 3, Captain Smit Machchhar said he was covered with blood on the floor after being stabbed and struck repeatedly by a co-pilot using an axe.

But the Indian pilot still managed to open the cockpit door of Flydubai Flight 1073 which allowed others to subdue the hijacker and regain control of the aircraft on Sept 30.

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Keywords
news, thestartv, the star, pilot, flydubai, hijacking, israel, saudi arabia, uae, ben guiron airport, smit machchhar, hamam al-hammami, radicalisation, heroes, 1073, benjamin netanyahu

In a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Oct 3, Captain Smit Machchhar said he was covered with blood on the floor after being stabbed and struck repeatedly by a co-pilot using an axe.

But the Indian pilot still managed to open the cockpit door of Flydubai Flight 1073 which allowed others to subdue the hijacker and regain control of the aircraft on Sept 30.

WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

Keywords:
news, thestartv, the star, pilot, flydubai, hijacking, israel, saudi arabia, uae, ben guiron airport, smit machchhar, hamam al-hammami, radicalisation, heroes, 1073, benjamin netanyahu

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