He hit me so many times: Video shows Indian flydubai pilot moments after stabbing

A video captures pilot Smit Machchhar injured in the moments after a flydubai cockpit attack. His remark that he was hit repeatedly brings the episode's severity into focus.

In Short

• A clip captures the aftermath of a violent incident at flydubai flight FZ1073
• Captain Smit Machchhar appears seriously injured after being struck repeatedly
• Passengers restrained Omani co-pilot using headphone cables

A day after the cockpit attack on a flydubai flight FZ1073, a video showing injured Indian Captain Smit Machchhar moments after the incident has surfaced, offering a glimpse of the chaos that unfolded at 30,000 feet.

In the footage, Machchhar is seen badly injured and receiving assistance inside the aircraft. He appears to be bleeding from multiple wounds and is given oxygen as people around him try to help. At one point, the injured pilot is heard saying, "He hit me so many times."

The injured pilot also speaks about his hand, saying: "My hand can move, but I can't do this. I can't squeeze my hand."

Machchhar was the captain of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. He was attacked inside the cockpit by his co-pilot, who stabbed him before the aircraft suddenly went into a steep dive. Israeli officials said the plane dropped nearly 14,000 feet in less than a minute.

Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to activate the cockpit door release. This allowed passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit and confront the attacker.

CO-PILOT RESTRAINED WITH CABLES

Another striking detail in the video is the condition of the second pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national. He appears to be lying on the floor of the cockpit with his hands and body restrained, as crew members attend to the injured Machchhar.

The footage is consistent with accounts from passengers who helped overpower him. Zvika Manes, one of the passengers who helped overpower the suspected attacker, told Israeli broadcaster Kan 11 that three passengers used cables from the in-flight multimedia headphones to restrain him. Manes said the co-pilot continued to resist, forcing the passengers to tie him several times around his hands and legs before he was finally subdued.

Another passenger, Itzik Lieber, said in a video message from the aircraft: "We overpowered the terrorist, and he is tied up." He also said the pilot was seriously injured and had been taken away for treatment.

Passenger Yaniv Hayun, who was among those who entered the cockpit, said he grabbed the attacker from behind and pulled him away from the aircraft's controls. He said passengers then pinned him down while others focused on the badly injured Machchhar.

The accounts help explain the scene captured in the newly surfaced footage. Machchhar was bleeding heavily after being attacked, while the suspected assailant was restrained on the cockpit floor. The passengers' intervention came as the aircraft had already plunged thousands of feet and the cockpit controls were being interfered with.

The flight, carrying 174 people, was eventually diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where both pilots were taken to hospital. Captain Smit Machchhar remains under treatment and has been reported stable, while the Omani co-pilot was arrested by Saudi authorities and is being interrogated as investigators work to determine the motive behind the cockpit attack. Israeli intelligence officials have also joined the probe.

- Ends