In a telephone conversation released by his office on Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot who subdued an attacking co-pilot aboard FlyDubai flight FZ1073. The captain described the harrowing moments when he fought to regain control of the aircraft and save the 174 passengers and six crew members on board.
Captain Machchhar told Netanyahu that despite being severely injured and nearly losing his vision, he felt he had “one more fight left” in him as he reached again for the cockpit door. The co-pilot, identified by multiple media outlets as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, had repeatedly struck him and put the plane into a steep descent.
Recounting the start of the attack, Machchhar said the co-pilot asked to pray in the cockpit, a request he did not consider unusual. “Out of respect for him, I didn’t look back,” he explained. “A few minutes later, I felt a strong impact and thought something had happened to the plane. But then I was hit again and realized it was him. I opened the cockpit door once, but he closed it, and I fell to the floor.”
The captain’s vision became badly blurred as the aircraft plunged. He tried again to open the door, but the co-pilot kept closing it while passengers attempted to enter using the access code. Netanyahu asked whether the door was secured with a pin mechanism; Machchhar clarified that the inside had a twist handle, while the outside could be opened with a code.
He recalled hearing the whooshing sound of the aircraft descending and the screams of passengers. In a final effort, he grabbed the internal handle and, with a “sharp, quick turn,” managed to open the door, allowing passengers to rush in, subdue the co-pilot, and stabilise the plane.
Heroism recognised across the Gulf and Israel
Netanyahu praised Machchhar for his “unbelievable courage” and invited him, along with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to light a celebratory flame on Israel’s next Independence Day—an honour usually reserved for Israeli citizens. “You are a true hero of the brave peoples of India and Israel, and you are a hero of the entire world. I wish you a very speedy and complete recovery,” Netanyahu told the captain.
Israeli Ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley was present during the call, and together with Netanyahu invited Machchhar and his family to visit Israel once he is able. Dubai’s Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid also visited the captain in hospital, hailing his bravery and stating that he “embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life.”
“From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise. We are proud that he is part of our team, part of the story of our nation and part of what the UAE stands for—a nation of compassion, a nation of peace and a nation of life,” Sheikh Hamdan said.
Background of the co-pilot
In a new development on Sunday, British newspaper The Telegraph reported that al-Hammami studied aviation at Buckinghamshire New University in the UK. During his time there, he allegedly made social media posts suggesting women should be “stomped on” and praising giving a woman a “pre-emptive slap.” He also appeared to endorse Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to the report.
The UAE’s prosecutor general said on Saturday that the co-pilot used a crash axe against the captain and “attempted to carry out a terrorist attack.” Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, called the incident “a dangerous terrorist act.” The attack has raised concerns about aviation security and the screening of flight crew, with European airlines and regulators likely to review their own protocols. The UAE's official classification underscores the severity of the incident.
As investigations continue, the aviation industry is watching closely. The incident has also drawn international attention, with US political reactions adding a geopolitical layer. For now, Captain Machchhar remains hospitalised, but his actions have been widely celebrated as a testament to human resilience under extreme pressure.
