Stories
Smit Machchhar: Indian Pilot Foils Hijack Attempt, Saves 180 Lives on Flydubai Flight
N
News18•01-10-2026, 07:12
Smit Machchhar: Indian Pilot Foils Hijack Attempt, Saves 180 Lives on Flydubai Flight
- •Indian pilot Smit Machchhar thwarted an attempted hijacking of Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- •An Omani co-pilot attempted to take control of the aircraft, but Machchhar bravely confronted him and regained control.
- •Despite being severely injured, Machchhar made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, saving 180 lives.
- •Machchhar previously worked for SpiceJet for over 11 years before joining Flydubai in June 2022.
- •He possesses over 13 years of commercial flying experience, accumulating approximately 9,750 flight hours on Boeing 737 aircraft.
Key Questions Answered
Smit Machchhar is an Indian pilot who was praised for bravely confronting an Omani co-pilot who attempted to hijack Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, ultimately saving the lives of 180 people on board.
Machchhar has over 13 years of commercial flying experience with approximately 9,750 flight 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.
After the violent cockpit altercation and emergency descent, Machchhar regained control of the aircraft and diverted it to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely with all passengers and crew unharmed.
