The National Investigating Agency has registered an FIR to probe the mid-air attack on Indian Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit of a flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The Union Home Ministry ordered the probe, taking into consideration the seriousness of the incident and the need to unearth the larger conspiracy. The government believes that a a scheduled offence under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, has been committed and the case is related to an attack on an Indian national pilot with an apparent attempt to hijack or crash the plane and hence requires a probe by the agency.
Omani co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami struck the Indian captain with a crash axe and tried to jam the auto-pilot system in a bid to crash the flight. However, Captain Machchhar ensured that the cockpit door was unlocked before collapsing. This allowed passengers and cabin crew to subdue the pilot and stabilise the aircraft.
Two additional pilots on board then landed the plane safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk.
The FIR, which has been flied under Section 3 (hijacking) of the Anti Hijacking Act, 2016 and Section 16 read with Section 15(1)(a) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, names the "Omani first officer" as the accused.
Captain Machchhar, who sustained critical injuries in the head and limbs, is stable and recovering well, according to the Indian Embassy in the UAE.
"The Central government has received information that flydubai flight no 1073, which was being piloted by Indian national pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and an Omani first officer, departed from Dubai on September 30, 2026 at 7.05 am (GMT) with 174 passengers and six crew members and dived rapidly and turned back into Saudi airspace while flying near the Jordan-Saudi Arabia border at around 9.21 am (GMT)," the FIR states.
"And whereas passengers reported that the first officer stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar during the flight in an apparent attempt to hijack or crash the plane but was overwhelmed and restrained by passengers and crew. However, Captain Smit Machchhar sustained deep cuts to the head and hands as a result of the attack," it adds.
