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Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Hailed as Hero for Saving 174 Passengers After Mid-Flight Attack
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News18•01-10-2026, 10:24
Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Hailed as Hero for Saving 174 Passengers After Mid-Flight Attack
- •Captain Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai native, saved 174 passengers on Flydubai FZ1073 after being attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot during a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight on September 30.
- •Despite serious injuries, Machchhar fought back, opened the cockpit door, and allowed crew and passengers to restrain the attacker.
- •The Boeing 737 was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, thanks to Machchhar's actions.
- •Machchhar joined Flydubai in June 2022 after 11 years with SpiceJet, accumulating over 9,750 hours of flying experience, including extensive Boeing 737 expertise.
- •PM Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar's courage, with Modi calling him a hero for averting a major tragedy.
Key Questions Answered
Captain Smit Machchhar is an Indian pilot from Mumbai who joined Flydubai in June 2022 after working for SpiceJet for over 11 years, bringing more than 9,750 hours of flying experience.
During a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight carrying 174 passengers on September 30, Captain Machchhar was allegedly attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot, but he fought back, opened the cockpit door for help, and the flight was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Captain Machchhar for his courage, with Prime Minister Modi calling him a hero who averted a major tragedy.
