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Hero Pilot Smit Machchhar Stable After Mid-Air Attack; Hailed by World Leaders
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CNBC TV18•01-10-2026, 07:36
Hero Pilot Smit Machchhar Stable After Mid-Air Attack; Hailed by World Leaders
- •Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot of a flydubai flight, is in stable condition after being injured during a mid-air attack that diverted the plane to Saudi Arabia.
- •Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar for his bravery, crediting him with saving 174 lives.
- •Machchhar was injured in an altercation aboard the flight, and the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed he is receiving medical attention in a Tabuk city hospital.
- •Netanyahu highlighted Machchhar's "extraordinary bravery" for fighting back despite injuries and opening the cockpit door, allowing passengers to overpower the attacker.
- •The flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying around 180 people, transmitted emergency codes before descending rapidly and diverting to Saudi Arabia.
Key Questions Answered
Captain Smit Machchhar is in stable condition at a hospital in Tabuk city, northwest Saudi Arabia, and is receiving necessary medical attention.
Despite being seriously injured in an altercation, Captain Machchhar opened the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and prevent a tragedy.
The flydubai flight was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday, September 30, with approximately 180 people on board when it squawked emergency codes and diverted to Saudi Arabia.
