Daijiworld Media Network – Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv, Oct 1: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar as a “true hero” after he helped avert a possible mid-air catastrophe aboard a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Machchhar, the captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073, was allegedly stabbed by his co-pilot during the flight on Wednesday, September 30. Despite suffering serious injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and overpower the attacker.
Netanyahu praised the Indian pilot for his courage, saying his actions helped save the lives of 174 people aboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
“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 said in a post on X.
“He saved the lives of 174 people... I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery. He is a true hero,” he added.
The aircraft was forced to divert to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia following the emergency inside the cockpit. Two off-duty Flydubai pilots travelling as passengers subsequently took control of the aircraft and helped land it safely in Tabuk. All passengers were later flown to Tel Aviv on a replacement flight.
One of the passengers, Yaniv Hayoun, told Netanyahu that he entered the cockpit after the door was opened and helped restrain the attacker. Other passengers and crew members also intervened.
The incident became particularly critical after the aircraft experienced a rapid loss of altitude during the confrontation. The circumstances surrounding the attack and the motive of the co-pilot remain under investigation.
Machchhar is an experienced commercial pilot who joined Flydubai in June 2022 after spending around 11 years with SpiceJet. He has reportedly accumulated more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and around 9,750 flying hours, primarily on Boeing 737 aircraft. At SpiceJet, he served as a senior commander and later as a line training captain.
The co-pilot 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, while cautioning that the exact circumstances are still being established. The co-pilot has been reported to be an Omani national.
Flydubai has also urged caution against premature speculation as authorities investigate the incident.
US President Donald Trump has separately praised Machchhar for his actions. Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said the pilot was seriously injured but still managed to open the cockpit door, describing him as a hero. Trump also praised the passenger who helped restrain the attacker.