flydubai pilot reveals how he was struck from behind and repeatedly lost consciousness

Dubai: A flydubai pilot has described how he was struck by a powerful blow to the back of his head while seated in the cockpit, revealing that he repeatedly slipped in and out of consciousness during the incident.

Captain Smit Machchhar, speaking in an interview with Sky News Arabia, recalled that a man had stood up to pray behind him shortly before the incident.

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Machchhar explained that the cockpit of the Boeing 737 aircraft he was flying was relatively small and that he had avoided looking at the man out of respect while he prayed.

"I was doing my job. I was seated, and he was behind me praying," he recalled.

The captain explained that he was checking information on his computer, including flight timings, when he suddenly felt a powerful blow to the back of his head.

"Suddenly, there was a really hard hit at the back of my head," he told the interviewer.

He described the impact as exceptionally forceful, although he did not immediately understand what had struck him.

"It was quite hard, and I felt that it was something very strong," he recalled.

Asked whether he had lost consciousness, Machchhar revealed that he had repeatedly drifted in and out of awareness during the incident.

"I was in and out of consciousness frequently," he said.

'You can't die like this'

The pilot also described the moment he realised that his survival depended on taking action.

"Yes, there came a moment when I realised that, and I told myself: Do something. You can't die like this," he recalled.

"I'm not saying I had accepted death. It was a situation in which I had to do something."

Machchhar went on to describe the chaotic scenes that followed when the cockpit door was opened.

"When the door opened, the scene was completely different. I remember lying face down, and of course there was panic and screaming," he said.

He also praised his colleague, who took control of the aircraft and helped bring the situation under control, describing his actions as deserving recognition.

"And I will carry that with me until the last day of my life," he added.

Flight diverted to Saudi Arabia

Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia on September 30 following a security incident in the cockpit.

The airline confirmed at the time that all 172 passengers and crew members were safe.