Stories
Hero Pilot Smit Machchhar Stabbed Mid-Flight, Opens Cockpit Door to Save 174 Lives
- •Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying 174 passengers.
- •Despite severe injuries, Machchhar managed to open the locked cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene and overpower the attacker.
- •The Boeing 737 MAX 8 made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Machchhar was hospitalized and reported stable.
- •Two off-duty Flydubai pilots on board as passengers took control of the aircraft after the incident, ensuring a safe landing.
- •Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian PM Narendra Modi hailed Captain Machchhar as a "true hero" for his extraordinary bravery in saving hundreds of lives.
Key Questions Answered
A violent altercation erupted in the cockpit when the Omani co-pilot stabbed Indian Captain Smit Machchhar during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft suffered a dramatic loss of altitude, dropping thousands of feet, before passengers and off-duty crew intervened and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Despite being seriously injured and lying bloodied on the cockpit floor, Captain Machchhar used his remaining energy to unlock and open the reinforced cockpit door. This action allowed passengers and a reserve crew to enter, overpower the attacker, and regain control of the aircraft.
Captain Machchhar was hospitalized in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following the emergency landing and was reported to be in stable condition by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh. Both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his extraordinary bravery and heroism.
