INDIAN pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has been widely praised as a hero after averting a catastrophic crash aboard a flydubai flight to Israel when his co-pilot stabbed him and tried to bring down the aircraft.
Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv plunged 16,000 feet in approximately one minute before the injured captain unlocked the reinforced cockpit door, enabling passengers and off-duty flight crew to breach the flight deck and subdue the attacker.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi commended the captain's actions, stating on X: "Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed Machchhar as a "true hero" and confirmed that his actions prevented a mid-air disaster.
"Enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic midair disaster," foreign news agencies cited Netanyahu saying on X.
Machchhar, a 52-year-old native of Mumbai with nearly 9,750 flying hours, is recovering in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the Boeing 737 made an emergency landing. Officials confirmed that two off-duty flydubai pilots travelling as passengers assisted in landing the aircraft safely after the co-pilot was restrained.
The 15-year aviation veteran initially pursued textile engineering and management studies before discovering his passion for flying at nineteen. He served with Indian carrier SpiceJet for over a decade before joining flydubai in 2022.
In a 2025 interview, Machchhar reflected on his strict professional ethos and safety-first philosophy.
"Delay is not my problem. As long as you're walking out of the aircraft is what I want," Machchhar said.
"When I wear the uniform, then no nonsense and just do your job, finish the job. When you walk out of the cockpit, that's it. Stop thinking about that. Someone else needs you now," he added.
Saudi authorities have taken the co-pilot into custody as international aviation bodies review cockpit safety measures and pilot vetting protocols. - October 1, 2026
