Stories
Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Hailed as Hero After Surviving Mid-Air Attack, Saving Flydubai Flight
N
News18•30-09-2026, 23:11
Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar Hailed as Hero After Surviving Mid-Air Attack, Saving Flydubai Flight
- •Passengers recount terrifying moments during a violent brawl between two pilots on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- •One passenger claimed the co-pilot attempted to commit suicide and crash the plane, leading to a struggle in the cockpit.
- •Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, reportedly stabbed during the altercation, survived the attack and was hailed for his actions.
- •Another passenger revealed Machchhar unlocked the cockpit door after being attacked, preventing a potentially worse disaster.
- •The flight was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the co-pilot was arrested; the motive remains under investigation.
Key Questions Answered
Flydubai flight FZ1073 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a violent cockpit altercation where a co-pilot stabbed the main pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened.
The Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, managed to unlock the cockpit door after being attacked, allowing passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit, struggle with the co-pilot, and successfully control the situation.
Following the safe landing of the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, the pilot involved in the altercation was arrested by Saudi authorities and placed under questioning.
