When the cockpit doors of flydubai Flight FZ1073 slammed open in Tabuk on 30 September, co‑pilot Aamir Khan thrust a knife toward Captain Smit Machchhar. The pilot, breathing hard, forced the hatch wide and let cabin crew seize the assailant, preventing a catastrophic loss of control.
The incident echoes the bravery of Neerja Bhanot, who in 1986 used the hijack code on Pan Am Flight 73 to alert crew and shield children from gunfire, saving 350 lives before being shot.
Saudi Civil Aviation Authority said the co‑pilot has been detained and an inquiry begun. "We are reviewing cockpit security protocols," Deputy Minister Fahad Al‑Khaled told reporters.
A 9‑year‑old girl from Delhi, injured by stray gunfire, was treated at Tabuk General Hospital. Her mother, a flight‑attendant, said she felt relief that the crew acted swiftly.
flydubai CEO Rohan Chandra confirmed the airline will cooperate fully and that a formal report will be filed with regulators by 15 October, while motives behind the attack are expected to be clarified by early November.