Indian airline captain Smit Machchhar has been praised for his role in averting a potential disaster after he was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit of a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
Machchhar, a Mumbai-based Indian national and former SpiceJet pilot, was commanding Flydubai flight FZ1073 when the confrontation broke out. According to Israeli officials, the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar and attempted to take control of the aircraft, sending the Boeing 737 MAX 8 into a steep descent. The aircraft reportedly lost nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
Despite suffering serious knife injuries, Machchhar managed to activate the cockpit door release, allowing passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit and overpower the attacker. Two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were travelling on the flight also assisted in regaining control of the aircraft. The plane was subsequently diverted and landed safely at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. All 174 passengers on board survived the incident.
Machchhar was taken to a hospital in Tabuk for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition after undergoing surgery. The co-pilot was also taken to hospital and was subsequently arrested, according to reports. Authorities are investigating the circumstances and motive behind the cockpit assault.
Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?
Machchhar has been a Flydubai Boeing 737 captain since June 2022. Before joining the Dubai-based airline, he spent around 11 years with SpiceJet, where he rose to the position of senior commander and later worked as a line-training captain. He has accumulated nearly 9,750 hours of flying experience.
Machchhar trained in New Zealand before beginning his commercial aviation career. In a previous interview, he said aviation was not his childhood ambition and that he became interested in flying at around 19 while studying textile engineering.
His actions during Wednesday’s emergency drew praise from Indian and Israeli leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Machchhar as a hero, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised his actions in helping passengers and crew regain control of the situation.