FlyDubai captain said he had “one more fight left in me” and opened cockpit door

Key Points:

• FlyDubai captain Smit Machchhar revealed in a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu how he fought to save 174 passengers and 6 crew members from an attempted cockpit takeover by the co-pilot during flight FZ1073.
• The co-pilot, who asked to pray in the cockpit, suddenly attacked Machchhar, locking the cockpit door and putting the plane into a steep descent, but the captain managed to open the door and allowed passengers to subdue the attacker.
• Netanyahu praised Machchhar's bravery, inviting him and Indian PM Narendra Modi to light a celebratory flame on Israel’s next Independence Day, while the Israeli ambassador and UAE officials expressed admiration and support for the captain.
• The co-pilot, identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, studied aviation in the UK and reportedly made controversial social media posts endorsing violence against women and supporting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
• UAE authorities labeled the co-pilot’s actions as a terrorist attack, with the prosecutor general confirming the use of a crash axe against the captain and senior officials condemning the incident as a dangerous terrorist act.