FlyDubai Archives

October 28, 2026 8:55 AM

UAE President honours Capt. Smit Machchhar, flydubai crew for courage during FZ1073 incident

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew members, including Captain Smit Machchhar. The honour, one of the UAE's top civilian awards, recognises their courageous efforts to ...

October 19, 2026 8:38 AM

Captain Smit Machchhar reveals more details of the flydubai incident; says he hopes to return to action soon

Recovering well at Zayed Military Hospital in Abu Dhabi, Captain Smit Machchhar has given a detailed account of what he recalls from the day of the incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. In interviews with The National and Sky News Arabia, published...

October 18, 2026 11:54 AM

‘You can’t die like this’: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar recounts cockpit attack, fight to survive in flydubai flight

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar initially thought something had broken off the roof of his aircraft and struck him on the back of his head before realising he was being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv l...

October 6, 2026 8:56 PM

Indian Captain Machchhar making ‘steady progress’: Indian embassy in UAE

Indian Captain Smit Machchhar is making “steady progress” and is “regaining his health”, the Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Tuesday. On flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot, an Omani citizen, with a ...

October 6, 2026 10:18 AM

Flydubai co-pilot completed portion of his flight training in New Zealand, police says

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash a plane last week was in New Zealand seven years ago to complete a portion of his flight training for a U.K.-based company, New Zealand police said in a statement on Tuesday...

October 5, 2026 1:37 PM

Co-pilot planned flydubai attack before joining airline, two Israeli officials say

The flydubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane has told UAE interrogators he planned the attack before he was hired by the Dubai state-owned airline, according to two Israeli officials with knowledge of the pro...

October 5, 2026 10:24 AM

Australia probes flydubai co-pilot’s links to the country, police say

A multi-agency Australian counterterrorism unit is investigating links to Australia of the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who stabbed his captain and then attempted to hijack the plane, a police spokesperson said on Sunday. The Victorian Joint ...

October 4, 2026 2:30 PM

Flydubai co-pilot attacked pilot with axe in attempted ‘terrorist attack’, UAE says

The co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was bound for Israel, attempted to carry out a "terrorist attack" with an axe during the flight, the United Arab Emirates prosecutor general said on Saturday. The co-pilot was identified as Hammam al-Ham...

October 4, 2026 2:30 PM

Explainer: What do we know about flydubai flight 1073?

Here is what we know, and don't know, about the reported attempt by the copilot of flydubai flight 1073 to crash the plane on September 30 before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLANE? The flight, carrying more than 170 mostl...

October 3, 2026 8:32 PM

Dubai Crown Prince visits Captain Smit, applauds his courage

Dubai Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence for the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, today visited Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot who helped avert a major tragedy after being attacked by his co-pilot abo...