Hero Pilot Opens Cockpit Door After Co-Pilot Attack

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot flying for Flydubai, has been hailed as a hero after he opened the cockpit door during a severe attack by his co-pilot on September 30. The flight, carrying 174 passengers and eight crew members from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was in mid-air when the incident occurred.

The Boeing 737 aircraft made sharp turns and two significant descents before stabilizing after Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene.

A passenger with aviation experience helped steady the aircraft, while two off-duty flydubai pilots took control and regained control of the plane. The aircraft was eventually diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.