Crime & Public Safety
Netanyahu invites flydubai captain after alleged axe attack
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Indian flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar to Israel as a guest of honour after UAE investigators said the co-pilot of a Tel Aviv-bound flight attacked him with an axe in a planned terrorist act.
Netanyahu's office released video on Saturday of his telephone call with the hospitalised captain. Netanyahu told Machchhar he wanted him and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a flame at Israel's Independence Day ceremony next May, a role Netanyahu said is usually reserved for Israeli citizens.
"You are a true hero of the brave peoples of India and Israel and you are a hero of the entire world," Netanyahu told Machchhar.
Machchhar said the co-pilot had asked to take time to pray, which he said was not unusual. He said that after about four to five minutes he felt a blow to the back of his head and at first thought the aircraft had suffered major damage.
He said repeated blows made him realise the other person in the cockpit was attacking him. Machchhar said his memory was not entirely clear because of his injury, but he managed to fight to open the cockpit door, where people were waiting.
Update
Netanyahu said he wanted Captain Smit Machchhar and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a flame at Israel's Independence Day ceremony next May.
Netanyahu said the flame-lighting role is usually reserved for Israeli citizens.
UAE investigators said the co-pilot planned a terrorist act by attacking Machchhar with an axe.
Machchhar described being struck from behind after the co-pilot asked for time to pray and said he forced open the cockpit door despite his injury.
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 October 2026 at 18:21:36 UTC.
Update
The captain was identified as Smit Machchhar.
The flight was Tel Aviv-bound and operated by flydubai.
The captain was described as having saved the plane by opening the cockpit after being attacked.
Netanyahu's office released video of his telephone conversation with the captain.
Netanyahu called the captain a hero of India, Israel and the world.
Source note: AFP news report published on 3 October 2026 at 18:05:09 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
Machchhar said his memory of parts of the attack was not entirely clear because of his injury.
Source
AFP news report published on .