Stories
Trump Praises Hero Pilot Smit Machchhar After Flydubai Mid-Air Incident
- •US President Donald Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a mid-air incident on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
- •Indian-origin pilot Smit Machchhar was injured during an altercation with his co-pilot, who Trump suggested might have been a terrorist.
- •Machchhar, despite being stabbed, managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene and overpower the assailant.
- •An Israeli national on board, praised by Trump and Netanyahu, helped subdue the co-pilot, preventing a potential catastrophe.
- •The incident, involving Flydubai flight FZ1073 with 174 people, led to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and has prompted an investigation into aviation security.
Key Questions Answered
A mid-air cockpit altercation occurred aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30, 2026, during which Indian-origin pilot Smit Machchhar was allegedly stabbed by his co-pilot before unlocking the door for passengers and crew to intervene and take control. The aircraft experienced a sharp altitude drop and safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Captain Smit Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door despite being seriously injured. An Israeli national and another crew member then stormed the cockpit, overpowering the assaulting co-pilot and enabling the plane to be leveled and safely diverted.
US President Donald Trump praised Captain Smit Machchhar and the Israeli passenger for their bravery in the Oval Office. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also commended Machchhar as a true hero and described the intervening Israeli passenger as a lion-man, while Flydubai suspended flights to and from Israel pending investigations.
