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Indian Pilot Heroically Foils Mid-Air Terror Attack on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv
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News18•30-09-2026, 22:20
Indian Pilot Heroically Foils Mid-Air Terror Attack on Flydubai Flight to Tel Aviv
- •Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, heroically thwarted a mid-air attack by his Omani co-pilot on a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, preventing a potential catastrophe.
- •The aircraft plunged 14,000 feet in 30 seconds during the struggle, prompting a hijacking signal and panic among passengers.
- •A Fijian pilot and crew members intervened, helping to restrain the co-pilot, while Machchhar, despite severe injuries, assisted in the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
- •Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz labeled the incident an attempted "Jihadi terrorist attack," with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowing to expose those responsible.
- •The event reignites the debate over Israel's status as a victim or aggressor in the Middle East, highlighting ongoing threats against Israeli civilians amidst the broader conflict.
Key Questions Answered
Captain Smit Machchhar is an Indian national flying a Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 from Dubai to Tel Aviv who faced a cockpit attack by his Omani co-pilot, preventing a potential catastrophe with extraordinary courage.
Defence Minister Israel Katz described the mid-air incident as an attempted Jihadi terrorist attack aimed at crashing the aircraft, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to punish those behind it.
During the mid-air struggle, the aircraft reportedly plunged 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds and the crew sent out hijacking signals, before a Fijian pilot and crew members restrained the attacker and safely landed the plane in Saudi Arabia.
