Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 but, despite severe injuries, opened the cockpit door and called for help. Passengers and crew then restrained the attacker and relief pilots helped stabilise the plane for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar underwent surgery and is in stable condition; 174 people on board were saved and investigations into the suspect's motives are ongoing.
Heroic Captain Smit Machchhar Fights Off Co-Pilot, Prevents Midair Disaster on Flydubai Flight
(Israel media)
Captain Smit Machchhar has been widely praised after surviving a brutal midair knife attack and helping prevent an attempted sabotage on Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Despite suffering multiple stab wounds, the Indian pilot managed to open the cockpit door and call for help, enabling passengers and crew to subdue the attacker and avert a catastrophic crash.
Incident
The attack occurred roughly two and a half hours into the flight as the Boeing 737 crossed into Jordanian airspace. Officials say the co-pilot launched a knife attack inside the flight deck and attempted to tamper with the controls. The aircraft descended about 14,000 ft in under 30 seconds before relief pilots and other crew helped stabilise it.
Machchhar's co-pilot launched a knife attack in an attempt to sabotage the flight controls (AFP/Getty)
Despite heavy bleeding and multiple severe wounds, Captain Machchhar reportedly reached the cockpit door release mechanism and opened the flight deck before collapsing. Several passengers and cabin crew then rushed forward, breached the unlocked door, and physically restrained the suspect on the cabin floor.
Emergency Response and Aftermath
An off-duty pilot among the passengers — reported to be one of two relief pilots who were on board — assisted in regaining control of the aircraft. The crew carried out an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northeastern Saudi Arabia. Local authorities arrested the suspect on the tarmac, and both pilots were hospitalised in Tabuk. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed that Captain Machchhar underwent emergency surgery and is in stable condition.
Passengers reunited with their families at Ben Gurion airport later on Wednesday (Getty)
Reactions
World leaders and senior officials publicly praised Machchhar's actions. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'India is proud of Captain Machchhar' and wished him a rapid recovery. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called him a 'true hero' and said the captain saved the lives of 174 people. US President Donald Trump described Machchhar as a 'hero' after discussing the case with Mr Netanyahu and suggested the attacker may have been a terrorist or mentally unstable.
India's foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, also commended Machchhar for his 'extraordinary courage and remarkable presence of mind' in averting a major tragedy. Israeli defence minister Israel Katz described the incident as an attempted 'jihadist terrorist attack,' and Israeli authorities have ordered tighter screening for carriers entering Israeli airspace while investigations continue.
Background
Captain Machchhar, originally from Mumbai and of Gujarati origin, trained in New Zealand and spent more than a decade at SpiceJet, where he rose to become a line training captain. He joined Flydubai as a direct-entry captain in June 2022. According to his public profile, he has logged nearly 9,750 flying hours in a roughly 15-year career, including more than 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command earlier in his career. In a 2025 interview he said passenger safety was always his top priority.
Ongoing Investigation
Flydubai and regional authorities have launched formal investigations into the suspect's motives and how the attack occurred. Meanwhile, the 174 passengers were later flown from Tabuk to Ben Gurion Airport on a replacement aircraft provided by Flydubai and reunited with family. Israeli officials personally thanked and praised the passengers and crew who intervened.
'Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker,' said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Help us improve.
