Despite suffering stab wounds from an Omani co-pilot in Jordanian airspace, Captain Machchhar kept the cockpit door unlatched, allowing relief crew to regain control and land safely in Saudi Arabia.
NEW DELHI:An Indian commercial pilot has been widely praised for saving the lives of 174 passengers and crew after wrestling with a co-pilot who launched a knife attack inside the cockpit mid-flight, prompting high-level tributes from world leaders.
Captain Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai native with over 9,700 hours of flight experience, was operating a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the incident unfolded over Jordanian airspace. According to official reports and airline data, an Omani co-pilot suddenly attacked Captain Machchhar with a sharp weapon inside the cockpit.
Despite sustaining serious stab wounds and bleeding profusely, Machchhar managed to keep the cockpit door unlatched and accessible. This crucial action enabled two other relief pilots traveling aboard the aircraft as passengers to enter the flight deck swiftly, overpower the attacker, and take control of the aircraft.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the captain’s extraordinary courage on social media. “Captain Smit Machchhar is a hero. Despite severe injuries in a perilous situation, his bravery saved hundreds of lives and averted a major disaster. India is proud of Captain Machchhar, and we wish him a speedy recovery,” Modi wrote on X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu characterized the incident as an attempted airborne terror attack. Following the intervention of the relief flight crew, the aircraft circled for roughly an hour before making an emergency landing at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The flight carried 174 occupants, including 150 Israeli nationals. After medical evaluations and security clearances, the passengers were safely transported to Tel Aviv late yesterday.
Captain Machchhar is currently recovering at a hospital in Tabuk, where medical officials report his condition is stable. Aviation authorities and security agencies in multiple jurisdictions have launched formal investigations into the incident. Machchhar joined Flydubai as a direct-entry captain in June 2022 after spending eleven years with Indian carrier SpiceJet, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain.
