Flydubai pilot Capt. Smit Machchhar hailed for stopping mid‑air attack

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian‑citizen pilot with flydubai, was at the controls of flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when a violent confrontation erupted in the cockpit. According to Israeli officials and passenger accounts, the aircraft’s co‑pilot attacked the captain in an apparent attempt to seize control of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, causing the plane to lose thousands of feet in altitude before it was diverted to Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was stabbed during the struggle but managed to fight back, open the cockpit door and enable passengers and crew to subdue the attacker. Israeli authorities say his actions prevented a mid‑air catastrophe and allowed the flight to land safely. Reports differ on the exact number of people on board, citing figures of around 170, 174 and 180 passengers and crew combined.

The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, according to one account. The incident left Machchhar seriously injured, yet he remained conscious and directed the emergency response until the aircraft was secured on the ground.

Machchhar has more than a decade of commercial flying experience, with over 9,750 flight hours logged on the Boeing 737 fleet. He spent ten years with Indian low‑cost carrier SpiceJet, joining the airline in 2011 and serving in roles that included line‑training captain and senior commander. In June 2022 he left SpiceJet and joined flydubai as a direct‑entry captain, and he has been with the carrier for four years.

His aviation career followed an early education in textile engineering linked to his family’s business, after which he pursued a management course. At age 19, an aviation seminar sparked his interest in flying, leading him to train in New Zealand at a cost of roughly Rs 16‑17 lakh. A recent podcast revealed that his brother has also joined flydubai.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar as a “true hero,” noting that despite being stabbed he resisted the attacker and saved the lives of 174 people. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also commended him on social media, calling him a hero who showed “immense courage and an unwavering resolve” in the face of grave danger.