An Indian pilot has emerged at the centre of a dramatic mid-air incident after his actions helped prevent a possible disaster aboard a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Captain Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by his co-pilot during the flight, managed to open the cockpit door despite suffering serious injuries. His action allowed passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit and overpower the attacker.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar, describing his actions as an extraordinary display of bravery. According to Netanyahu, the Indian captain’s intervention helped save the lives of 174 people aboard the aircraft. The incident took place aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday, September 30. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was forced to divert to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia after an emergency unfolded inside the cockpit. All passengers were later flown to Tel Aviv on a replacement flight.
Indian pilot fought back despite being seriously injured
According to the account shared by Netanyahu and Israeli officials, the situation escalated when the co-pilot allegedly attacked Captain Machchhar with a knife. The circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the motive of the accused pilot are still being investigated.
Despite being badly injured, Machchhar reportedly continued to resist the attacker. He was eventually able to unlock the cockpit door, creating an opportunity for passengers and crew members to intervene.
“My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery. Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster,” Netanyahu wrote on X. “He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery. He is a true hero,” he added.
Passengers rushed into cockpit as situation turned critical
Once the cockpit door was opened, passengers moved towards the flight deck and helped restrain the attacking co-pilot. One of the passengers involved in the intervention, Yaniv Hayoun, later met Netanyahu and described how he entered the cockpit and subdued the attacker.
Hayoun told the Israeli Prime Minister that he placed the attacker in a chokehold and pulled him away from the cockpit controls. Other passengers and crew members also helped restrain him.
Two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers then took over the aircraft’s controls. They managed to stabilise the situation and safely divert the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
The sequence became particularly critical after the aircraft experienced a rapid loss of altitude. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft descending sharply during the emergency, adding to the danger faced by those on board.
Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?
Captain Smit Machchhar is an experienced commercial pilot who currently works as a direct-entry captain with Dubai-based Flydubai. According to his professional profile cited by Indian media, he has more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and around 9,750 hours of flying experience, largely on Boeing 737 aircraft. Before joining Flydubai, Machchhar spent around 11 years with Indian airline SpiceJet. During his tenure there, he served as a senior commander and later as a line training captain, a role involving the training and assessment of pilots. He joined Flydubai in June 2022. His parents have reportedly travelled to Tabuk after learning that their son was injured. Reports have also said that Machchhar’s brother recently joined Flydubai as a pilot, although he has not yet begun flying.
What happened to the co-pilot?
The co-pilot accused of attacking Machchhar was taken into custody by Saudi authorities after the aircraft landed in Tabuk. Israeli officials have described the incident as a possible attempt to take control of the aircraft and crash it, but the precise motive and sequence of events remain subject to investigation. Netanyahu said Saudi authorities had questioned the detained pilot. The nationality of the accused co-pilot has been reported as Omani by Israeli officials, although some details surrounding his identity and motive have not been independently established.
Flydubai has urged caution against premature conclusions while investigators establish what happened inside the cockpit. The airline has confirmed that an incident occurred on board and that the aircraft was diverted safely to Saudi Arabia.
Donald Trump also calls Indian captain a hero
US President Donald Trump also spoke about the incident after discussing it with Netanyahu. Trump said the co-pilot could have been “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job” and praised Machchhar for opening the cockpit door despite being seriously injured. Trump said, “I spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu about this incident. It seems as though the co-pilot was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job, and he stabbed the pilot. The pilot was in very bad shape. But in a way, he was a hero to open the door.” Trump also praised the passenger who intervened during the crisis and helped subdue the attacker. At the same time, he acknowledged that the precise circumstances were still being established.
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