Flydubai attack: Smit Machchhar attacked with an axe? Why this 'weapon' was already on the plane

The alleged attack aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 has raised questions about how the co-pilot could have accessed a weapon inside the cockpit. Initial reports suggested that the Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, was stabbed with a knife. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later said the attacker may have used an axe.

The exact weapon has not been independently confirmed, with reports continuing to differ on whether Machchhar was stabbed, struck with an axe, or attacked using both. Flydubai has also said the circumstances remain under investigation.

Why was an axe inside the cockpit?

A crash axe is not an item secretly brought onto a plane. It is emergency equipment carried on commercial aircraft and kept accessible to crew members. It can be used during emergencies, including to reach areas behind panels or deal with obstacles after a crash.

That means the reported presence of an axe in the cockpit itself is not unusual. What investigators are examining is whether the emergency tool was used during the confrontation between the two pilots.

What happened aboard flight FZ1073?

The Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight was carrying 174 people when the incident unfolded roughly two hours into the journey. The aircraft experienced a dramatic loss of altitude, with flight-tracking data showing it dropping thousands of feet in a short period before eventually landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was seriously injured but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene. Two off-duty flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft subsequently helped regain control and land the plane safely.

Machchhar airlifted to Dubai for treatment

Captain Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured during the alleged cockpit attack, was initially admitted to a hospital in Tabuk after the aircraft made its emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

He was later airlifted from Saudi Arabia to Dubai for further medical treatment. Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia said they remained in touch with his family and Saudi officials and were extending assistance for his recovery.

Machchhar had suffered serious injuries during the confrontation with the co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene. He was subsequently taken for medical care after the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk.