Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has been praised by the leaders of India and Israel after he helped prevent a flydubai passenger aircraft from crashing following an alleged attack by his co pilot.
Machchhar was reportedly stabbed during the flight on Wednesday as the aircraft was travelling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel. The plane then plunged almost 14,000 feet, or about 4,267 metres, in less than 30 seconds, according to Israeli officials. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene.
The incident ended with the aircraft landing safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the injured pilot was taken to hospital. A second pair of flydubai pilots who happened to be travelling on the aircraft helped bring the plane under control after passengers and crew members overpowered the co pilot.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Machchhar as a hero and said his actions had protected the lives of 174 people aboard the aircraft, including Israeli citizens and passengers of other nationalities.
“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu said in a post on X.
The Israeli prime minister had earlier issued a video statement saying all passengers were safe after the aircraft was brought under control.
Pilot injured during cockpit struggle
Details released after the incident indicate that the confrontation inside the cockpit developed rapidly.
According to a spokesperson for Netanyahu, Machchhar was covered in blood and lying on the cockpit floor after being stabbed. Despite his injuries, he was able to activate the cockpit door release.
That action allowed passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit and confront the co pilot. The intervention gave the additional flydubai pilots travelling on the aircraft an opportunity to take control and land the plane in Tabuk.
The incident has drawn attention because the aircraft experienced a dramatic loss of altitude during the struggle. The plane dropped almost 14,000 feet in less than half a minute before control was restored.
The precise cause of the confrontation between the two pilots has not been established.
Flydubai said the reasons behind the incident remained unknown and urged people not to draw conclusions before investigators had established what happened. The airline also suspended flights to and from Israel while authorities investigated the incident.
The aircraft involved was operating as flydubai flight FZ1073 on a route from the United Arab Emirates to Israel.
Modi praises Machchhar's courage
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly praised Machchhar on Thursday, describing his response to the attack as an example of courage under extreme circumstances.
Modi said the pilot continued trying to protect the passengers despite being seriously injured.
“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,” Modi said in a post on X.
The Indian prime minister added that Machchhar's actions helped prevent what could have been a major loss of life.
The comments from Modi came as Indian officials worked with Saudi authorities to support the injured pilot and maintain contact with his family.
The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Tabuk and was in stable condition. Officials said they remained in contact with both his family and Saudi authorities and were working to provide assistance.
Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times reported that Machchhar underwent surgery following the incident.
Machchhar is from Mumbai, India's financial capital. His professional history includes more than 11 years with Indian airline SpiceJet before he moved to flydubai, according to information listed on his LinkedIn profile.
His aviation experience has drawn further attention following the incident, particularly because the aircraft was carrying a large number of passengers when the confrontation occurred.
Passengers and crew intervene
The actions of passengers and crew members also played a significant role in bringing the situation under control.
Once the cockpit door opened, people aboard the aircraft were able to enter and overpower the co pilot, according to the account provided by Israeli officials. The presence of two additional flydubai pilots on the flight then provided the crew with experienced personnel who could assist with flying the aircraft.
The aircraft ultimately landed in Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The safe landing brought an end to a potentially catastrophic situation, but authorities still face questions about how the confrontation began and what led to the alleged attack.
Saudi authorities are expected to question the co pilot as part of the investigation. Netanyahu said the Saudi authorities would interrogate the pilot involved in the incident.
The investigation is expected to examine events inside the cockpit, the circumstances surrounding the stabbing and the aircraft's sudden loss of altitude. Investigators will also need to establish how the cockpit door was opened and how passengers and crew members were able to intervene.
Airline suspends Israel flights
Flydubai responded by suspending flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues.
The airline said it was working with relevant authorities and stressed that the reasons behind the incident had not yet been established. Its warning against premature speculation reflects the limited information available while investigators examine the evidence.
The incident also comes at a sensitive time for aviation links involving Israel and the Gulf region. Flydubai operates flights between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, connecting the two countries through commercial air travel.
For passengers on flight FZ1073, however, the immediate concern was survival. The aircraft had already lost thousands of feet of altitude when the cockpit door was opened and people intervened.
Machchhar's condition remained stable after treatment in Tabuk, according to India's embassy in Saudi Arabia. His family has been in contact with Indian officials as arrangements for his medical care continue.
Investigation now focuses on what happened inside the cockpit
While political leaders have praised Machchhar, investigators have yet to establish the full sequence of events or the motive behind the confrontation.
Netanyahu called the episode a “highly severe security incident,” reflecting the seriousness of an alleged attack inside the cockpit of a commercial passenger aircraft.
The available account shows that several separate actions helped prevent the flight from ending in disaster. Machchhar continued to act despite being injured, the cockpit door was opened, passengers and crew members intervened, and additional trained pilots aboard the aircraft helped regain control.
The aircraft then reached Tabuk safely, where Machchhar received medical attention.
For investigators, the next stage will be to establish exactly why the confrontation began and how the cockpit incident developed into a loss of altitude of nearly 14,000 feet. Until those findings are released, flydubai has urged the public to avoid speculation.
The immediate outcome is clear: all 174 people aboard the aircraft survived, while the injured pilot remains under medical care in Saudi Arabia. What caused the cockpit attack and what led to the aircraft's rapid descent are now the central questions for investigators.