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Captain Smit Machchhar told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed that he forced himself up from the cockpit floor and opened the door as Flydubai Flight FZ1073 rapidly descended on September 30. Passengers, crew members and other pilots aboard then entered the cockpit and helped regain control of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, carrying 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and landed safely.

Details

• Final push: Speaking by video call, Machchhar said he had been struck repeatedly before collapsing. After feeling the aircraft dive, he realised the cockpit door was within reach. “I told myself, if I don’t get up now, it’s over,” he said.
• Shared intervention: Machchhar said everyone who entered the cockpit played an equal role. “I knew I could not let everyone there die,” he told Modi. Other pilots travelling aboard helped recover the aircraft before its diversion to Tabuk.
• Flying experience: Machchhar said his 17 years of flying, including 11 as a captain, helped him understand the aircraft’s condition despite his injuries. Accounts of the incident said his co-pilot attacked him before the jet plunged thousands of feet. He told Modi he could know what was happening even with his eyes closed.
• Emotional exchange: The captain became emotional after telling Modi that the prime minister had long inspired him. When Machchhar apologised for crying, Modi replied: “If you don’t get emotional in front of me, then in front of whom will you get emotional?” Machchhar also said he recited the Hanuman Chalisa during the emergency and believed God had saved him.
• Israeli response: Israeli Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Doron Spielman said security precautions would increase for arriving flights regardless of their operator. Pilots flying into Israel will be vetted and identified. Spielman said civilians intervened aboard FZ1073 because no Israeli air marshals were present.

Background

Flydubai confirmed that the aircraft experienced an incident, landed safely and had all passengers accounted for. The airline said it was cooperating with relevant authorities. Machchhar praised the medical treatment he received in Tabuk. International Civil Aviation Organization standards provide a baseline for pilot licensing and vetting, while national regulators and airlines may impose additional requirements. Aviation security experts said airlines differ in how frequently they assess pilots’ fitness to fly.

What’s next

Investigators in the UAE and Israel are expected to reconstruct the cockpit incident, rapid descent, onboard intervention and diversion. Their examination will cover crew screening, any earlier concerns involving the co-pilot, the handling of transmitted distress signals and the response times of aviation authorities and emergency systems.