Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar is being praised after a frightening cockpit incident on flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Despite being injured, he reportedly helped regain control of the Boeing 737, allowing the aircraft to land safely in Saudi Arabia.
An Indian pilot is being praised worldwide after a frightening cockpit incident on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight. Captain Smit Machchhar of flydubai has been credited by Israeli officials with helping prevent a major mid-air disaster aboard flight FZ1073.
The Boeing 737 was flying from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel when a violent altercation reportedly broke out on the flight deck. Reports say the captain was stabbed by his co-pilot, who then allegedly tried to interfere with the aircraft's controls.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Machchhar opened the cockpit door despite his injuries. That let a crew member and passengers enter and restrain the other pilot. Netanyahu praised Machchhar as well as the passengers and crew who stepped in.
The plane lost altitude sharply during the struggle before control was restored. It was then diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia and landed safely. All passengers were reported safe, and both pilots received medical treatment. India's embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar is in stable condition.
Flydubai confirmed an incident on the flight deck and said its flights to and from Israel will be suspended during the investigation. The other pilot's motive and the exact sequence of events remain unclear, and the airline has urged people not to speculate until the inquiry is complete. Cockpit security and crew coordination are central to passenger safety, and this incident is a reminder of how much depends on a pilot's composure in a crisis.
Read more about the incident here.
Machchhar joined flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain. Before that, he spent more than a decade with SpiceJet, which he joined in 2011, and held roles including line-training captain and senior commander. Reports citing his professional profile credit him with over 13 years of commercial flying and close to 10,000 hours on the Boeing 737.
His path into aviation was not a straightforward one. He initially studied with the family textile business in mind, then discovered his passion for flying at an aviation seminar during a management course. He trained as a pilot in New Zealand, and has said the training cost around Rs 16-17 lakh. His mother was initially worried about the career choice, while his father was more accepting.
Read more about the pilot here.
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