Captain Smit Machchhar has spoken publicly for the first time about the terrifying moments aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, describing how, seriously injured on the cockpit floor and aware that the Boeing 737 was rapidly descending, he summoned the strength to open the flight deck door and allow help to enter.
flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar has given his first detailed account of the extraordinary cockpit attack aboard flight FZ1073, revealing how he fought to open the flight deck door while seriously injured as the aircraft plunged from its cruising altitude.
Speaking from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi during a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, October 2, Machchhar became emotional as he recalled the events aboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8.
With his head and hands bandaged and a tube visible in his nose, the experienced captain described lying injured on the cockpit floor while being acutely aware that something was seriously wrong with the aircraft.
“I was fighting for my life,” he said.
But as the emergency unfolded, Machchhar realised that his own survival was no longer his only concern. His attention turned to the passengers and crew behind the locked cockpit door.
“I knew that the aircraft was going down”
Machchhar told Modi that his years of experience meant he could sense what the Boeing was doing even while lying injured on the floor.
“I have been flying for the last 17 years, have been a captain for the last 11 years,” he explained.
Machchhar said his experience allowed him to understand what was happening to the aircraft without needing to see the flight instruments.
Flight-tracking data subsequently showed just how dramatic the situation had become.
FZ1073 had been cruising at approximately 34,000 feet while travelling from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv when it suddenly entered a steep descent. Reuters reported that the Boeing lost almost 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
Machchhar has now confirmed that he was conscious of that descent despite his injuries.
He told Modi that he could feel the aircraft “plummeting” and realised that if he did not act, the lives of those travelling behind him could also be in danger.
One final push for the cockpit door
Machchhar’s account also provides important first-hand confirmation of a crucial moment in the FZ1073 emergency.
Seriously injured and on the floor, he realised that the cockpit door was close enough for him to attempt to open it.
The secure flight deck door that normally protects pilots from unauthorised access had effectively become the barrier preventing passengers and other crew members from reaching the cockpit.
Machchhar knew he needed to release it.
“I knew that the aircraft was going down,” he recalled, before describing telling himself that the door was close and that he simply had to open it.
Despite his injuries, he managed to do so. People from outside the cockpit were then able to enter.
According to Machchhar’s account of the incident, he was still being attacked as he attempted to release the door.
His actions support earlier passenger accounts that the injured captain allowed those in the cabin to gain access to the flight deck.
Passengers and crew step in
Machchhar has also been keen not to portray what happened next as the actions of one person alone.
After he opened the door, others entered the cockpit and helped bring the emergency under control.
flydubai has separately confirmed that on-duty company crew travelling aboard FZ1073 secured the aircraft, diverted it, and landed it safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
The airline has not publicly identified those crew members.
Passenger accounts have previously described other pilots travelling aboard the flight being called forward during the emergency.
Machchhar’s decision to open the cockpit door therefore proved crucial in allowing the chain of events that followed to take place.
flydubai’s official account confirms that the travelling crew ultimately diverted and landed the aircraft safely at Tabuk.
Captain becomes emotional recalling ordeal
The incident’s emotional impact was clear during Machchhar’s conversation with Modi.
At one point, the captain broke down while describing what had happened and apologised for becoming emotional.
Speaking from his hospital bed, he explained that during the attack he had initially been concentrating simply on staying alive.
But he later realised he had to act because of the passengers travelling behind him.
Machchhar said he had suffered numerous wounds and had fallen to the floor during the attack.
He nevertheless understood that unless somebody regained control of the situation, the consequences could be catastrophic.
Modi praised the captain’s “courage, patience, and presence of mind”, telling him that his actions had helped save many lives.
Faith gave him strength
Machchhar also spoke about the role his faith played during the ordeal.
The captain told Modi that while he was injured inside the cockpit, he recited the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu devotional hymn associated with Lord Hanuman and traditionally recited for courage and strength.
“Lord Hanuman gave me courage,” Machchhar said.
He told the prime minister that he believed God had saved him.
The detail provides a particularly personal insight into how the captain dealt with an almost unimaginable situation while seriously injured and trapped inside the flight deck.
17 years of flying experience
Machchhar has spent 17 years flying commercially and has served as a captain for 11 years.
Before joining flydubai, he spent around 11 years with Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet, where he worked as a senior commander and line training captain.
He accumulated more than 9,750 flying hours during his time with SpiceJet before subsequently joining flydubai around four years ago.
He completed his initial flight training in New Zealand.
Philip Kean, CEO of Mainland Air, where Machchhar trained, told the Associated Press that pilots are prepared to respond when another flight crew member becomes incapacitated.
Being violently attacked by a colleague, however, is clearly a very different scenario from the emergencies pilots would normally expect to encounter during their careers.
Recovering in Abu Dhabi
Machchhar is now continuing his recovery in Abu Dhabi after initially receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia.
He underwent surgery following the incident before being medically transferred from Tabuk to the UAE.
During Friday’s conversation, the captain spoke positively about the medical care he had received in both Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Despite the extent of his injuries, Machchhar appeared determined to focus on his recovery.
He told Modi that he regarded what lay ahead as a journey and expressed confidence that he would eventually return to full health.
The Indian prime minister told the captain that people across India were praying for his recovery.
Modi had already publicly described Machchhar as a “hero”, saying his actions despite being seriously injured helped save lives and avert a major tragedy.
Investigation into FZ1073 continues
Machchhar’s testimony provides the clearest first-hand account yet of what happened inside the cockpit, but it does not answer one of the biggest outstanding questions surrounding FZ1073: why the attack occurred.
The captain did not use his conversation with Modi to speculate about his colleague’s motive or provide a detailed account of what led to the initial confrontation.
Saudi authorities have said their preliminary investigation found that the co-pilot attacked the captain, while the UAE has opened a formal investigation into the circumstances and motives behind the incident.
UAE prosecutors are examining whether the event had any connection with terrorist activity or intent and whether it involved prior planning or direction.
Those remain questions for investigators, not established conclusions. UAE authorities have urged against speculation while they gather evidence.
flydubai has similarly said that the underlying reasons and motives remain subject to formal investigation.
© Confessions of a Trolley Dolly