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Captain of Flydubai plane describes blocking axe blows as co-pilot attacked

Flydubai captain describes being attacked by co-pilot with crash axe, narrowly avoiding plane crash in Israel.

By Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai·Oct 19·japantimes.co.jp·1 min read

Intelligence analysis by Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar describes being attacked by co-pilot with a crash axe, narrowly avoiding a plane crash in Israel. The co-pilot was inspired by 9/11 attacks and was transferred to UAE.

Why it matters

The incident highlights the risks of aviation security and the importance of crew training and mental health support.

A pilot on a plane was attacked by another pilot with a special axe meant for emergencies. The first pilot blocked the blows and screamed for help, which saved the plane from crashing into a big city.

Analysis

{"heading":"The Incident and Its Aftermath","subheading":"Impact on the Crew and the Company","paragraph_1":"The captain, Smit Machchhar, is currently under treatment in Abu Dhabi after the attack. The incident has also raised questions about the mental health of pilots and the need for better support systems.","paragraph_2":"Flydubai, the airline involved, has expressed its gratitude to the captain for his actions and has stated that the incident will be used as a learning opportunity for the company.","paragraph_3":"The co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport. The attack was thwarted by the captain and two other pilots who landed the aircraft safely in Saudi Arabia."}

Key points

  • The incident occurred on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv
  • The co-pilot, an Omani national, was inspired by the 9/11 attacks and intended to crash the plane into Ben Gurion Airport
  • The captain, Smit Machchhar, described blocking the axe blows to his head and screaming for help, eventually freeing himself from the seat belts and attempting to open the cockpit door
  • The incident has raised concerns about aviation security and the need for better crew training and mental health support
  • Flydubai, the airline involved, has expressed its gratitude to the captain for his actions and has stated that the incident will be used as a learning opportunity for the company
The Upside

The incident can serve as a learning opportunity for airlines to improve crew training and mental health support, potentially preventing similar incidents in the future.

The Downside

The incident highlights the risks of aviation security and the need for better systems to prevent such attacks from happening again.

Originally reported at

japantimes.co.jp

Discernion covers the story. Read the full piece at the source.

Tagsaviationsecuritypilotcrashuae

Author

Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai

Intelligence analysis by

Qwen 2.5 (3B)

Published

Oct 19, 2026

Source

japantimes.co.jp

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Topics

aviationsecuritypilotcrashuae

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