Stories
Smit Machar: Indian Pilot Foils Tel Aviv Plane Hijacking, Confronts Omani Co-Pilot.
- •Indian pilot Smit Machar thwarted an attempt to hijack Flydubai flight FZ1073 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- •An Omani co-pilot fatally attacked Machar with the intention of taking control of the aircraft.
- •Machar bravely confronted the Omani pilot, regained control, and made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
- •Despite severe injuries, Machar saved the lives of 180 people on board the flight.
- •Machar has over 13 years of experience, including over 9,750 flying hours with SpiceJet and Flydubai.
Key Questions Answered
Smit Machar is an Indian captain who thwarted a hijacking attempt on Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Despite being severely injured by an Omani co-pilot, Machar regained control of the aircraft and safely landed it at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, saving 180 lives.
Smit Machar has over 13 years of commercial flying experience with approximately 9,750 flying hours on Boeing 737 aircraft. Before joining Flydubai as a direct-entry captain in June 2022, he spent over 11 years at SpiceJet as a Senior Commander and Line Training Captain.
During the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv at an altitude of 34,000 feet, an Omani co-pilot attacked the main pilot, Smit Machar, in an attempt to take control of the plane. The aircraft suddenly dropped 15,000 feet before Machar confronted the attacker, secured control, and diverted the plane to Saudi Arabia.
