Hospital interview: Flydubai captain describes blocking blows as pilot attacked him with crash axe

Attack inside the cockpit

Machchhar told The National that the first blow made him think there was a serious problem with the aircraft’s structure. He then realised he was under attack and said events had taken a drastic turn.

He said blows were aimed at his head as he tried to defend himself with his arm. Machchhar reached for the cockpit door and shouted for colleagues and the co-pilot before losing consciousness, he said.

Flight and investigation

The attack took place on flight FZ1073 while it was in Saudi airspace. The co-pilot used a crash axe, an emergency item typically kept in the cockpit. UAE public prosecutors said their criminal investigation found that the plan was inspired by the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States. The investigation was launched on 1 October.

Captain recounts survival

Machchhar spoke from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, with his head and left arm bandaged. He said he had not been sure he would survive, but did not give up.