Flydubai captain recounts struggle to save flight after cockpit attack
publishers 111articles 151first reported 1 Oct, 01:09 UTCdeveloping since 1 Oct · 13 editionstop 25 #3
Capt Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot injured during an attack aboard a Flydubai flight, said he forced himself to open the cockpit door so others could intervene as the aircraft descended sharply.
Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv early Wednesday with more than 170 passengers when Machchhar’s Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked him and put the aircraft into a steep descent. The BBC reported that the plane dropped more than 17,000 feet and transmitted emergency and hijacking signals.
Speaking by video from an Abu Dhabi hospital with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said he was injured and on the cockpit floor when he realized the aircraft was losing altitude. “I was fighting for my life,” he said, adding that he made a “last push” to open the door because he was determined not to let the passengers die.
Passengers then entered the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot. Two reserve pilots aboard the flight stabilized the aircraft and landed it safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was initially treated in Tabuk before being transferred to Abu Dhabi, where he was reported to be recovering.
Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot. The United Arab Emirates is investigating whether the attack had any connection to terrorism. Israeli officials have said preliminary inquiries indicated possible radicalization, while Israeli sources cited by CBS News and CNN said the suspect probably acted alone. His motive remains under investigation.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 2 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 74 h after the record first saw the story; the editor revised it.
- Publishers
- 111
- Source articles
- 151
- Given to the writer
- 8, 2 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 74 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- revised
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and changed it before publication. Struck words were in the draft; underlined words are its corrections.
WHAT IT FLAGGED editor revise: Two details needed narrowing to match the source wording on who subdued the attacker and how CBS/CNN characterized the lone-actor assessment. - "Passengers and crew then entered the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot.": The sources attribute subduing the attacker to passengers, or to passengers and crew after the attacker was already subdued, not clearly to passengers and crew entering the cockpit. - "Israeli investigative sources cited by CBS News and CNN said the suspect probably acted alone.": CNN is sourced to Israeli sources and CBS to Israeli investigators/sources, so calling them "Israeli investigative sources" overstates CNN's sourcing.
THE DRAFT AND THE CHANGES
Flydubai captain recounts struggle to save flight after cockpit attack
Capt Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot injured during an attack aboard a Flydubai flight, said he forced himself to open the cockpit door so others could intervene as the aircraft descended sharply.
Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv early Wednesday with more than 170 passengers when Machchhar’s Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked him and put the aircraft into a steep descent. The BBC reported that the plane dropped more than 17,000 feet and transmitted emergency and hijacking signals.
Speaking by video from an Abu Dhabi hospital with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar said he was injured and on the cockpit floor when he realized the aircraft was losing altitude. “I was fighting for my life,” he said, adding that he made a “last push” to open the door because he was determined not to let the passengers die.
Passengers and crew then entered the cockpit and subdued the co-pilot. Two reserve pilots aboard the flight stabilized the aircraft and landed it safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was initially treated in Tabuk before being transferred to Abu Dhabi, where he was reported to be recovering.
Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot. The United Arab Emirates is investigating whether the attack had any connection to terrorism. Israeli officials have said preliminary inquiries indicated possible radicalization, while Israeli investigative sources cited by CBS News and CNN said the suspect probably acted alone. His motive remains under investigation.
Written by a language model from the sources above, then checked by a second model that may only cut, attribute or correct. How it works →