Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was severely injured after being stabbed by the co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight, yet he managed to open the cockpit door despite heavy blood loss. His actions allowed passengers and other crew members to intervene and restrain the attacker. A passenger who is a dentist then provided emergency medical assistance to the injured pilot.

The incident occurred aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 while the aircraft was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers on board. The Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife during the flight. The aircraft subsequently issued an emergency alert and made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

Among the passengers who rushed toward the cockpit was dentist Musaev Shota. After the suspected attacker was subdued, Shota began providing first aid to the injured pilot.

Speaking to Israeli news outlet Ynet, Shota said he did not hesitate after realizing that something was wrong.

“I didn’t wait. I realized something was wrong and ran there,” he said.

‘His head and hand looked almost severed’

Shota said he found the pilot in extremely serious condition inside the cockpit. There was heavy bleeding from his head and hand.

Shota said he was the only medical professional on board and immediately tried to stop the bleeding. The pilot remained relatively stable until shortly before landing, although his condition deteriorated somewhat just before the aircraft touched down.

Speaking to CNN, Shota described the injuries as extremely severe. He said the pilot had cuts across his body and that the injuries to his head and hand were so serious that they appeared “almost severed.”

He said the pilot was in serious condition, although it was not yet considered critical. The biggest concern was the massive loss of blood.

Pilot kept talking while lying in a pool of blood

Despite his severe injuries, Machchhar did not lose consciousness. Lying on the aircraft floor in his own blood, he continued communicating with Shota and others.

Shota told Ynet that the pilot said he was 39 years old and had two children. Machchhar also told them that the attacker had stabbed and verbally abused him.

Speaking to The Associated Press, Shota said the pilot continued praying throughout the ordeal and remained in contact with him.

“He was praying the whole time and keeping in contact with me. I was afraid we might actually lose him,” Shota said.

Videos that circulated on social media after the incident showed two injured and bloodied men lying on the aircraft floor.

Emergency landing in Saudi Arabia

Following the attack, the aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. Saudi medical teams then took over the treatment of the injured pilot.

Shota said he realized from the Saudi doctors that Machchhar had survived and that his condition was no longer considered critical.

The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia and the Indian Consulate in Jeddah have been monitoring the pilot’s condition.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said in a statement on X that both Indian missions in Saudi Arabia were regularly following up on Machchhar’s treatment. According to the embassy, the injured pilot was admitted to a hospital in Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where he received necessary medical care.

Pilot’s condition stable

The Indian Embassy said it was awaiting detailed medical information about the pilot’s condition. However, based on the initial information available, his condition was stable.

The embassy said it hoped Captain Machchhar would recover quickly from his injuries.

The Indian mission has also remained in regular contact with Machchhar’s family and said it would continue coordinating with Saudi authorities to ensure the necessary medical treatment and support for his family.

Despite being severely injured, Captain Machchhar managed to retain control of the cockpit and open its door, allowing passengers and other crew members to intervene. Witness accounts indicate that his remaining conscious and helping the aircraft reach a safe emergency landing became one of the most notable aspects of the incident.

Sources: NDTV, The Guardian