Stories
US House Honours Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar And Condemns Flydubai Attack
- •The US House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan resolution honouring Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery during an attack on a Flydubai flight.
- •The resolution explicitly condemns the incident as an act of terrorism and calls for a full investigation by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
- •On September 30, Flight 1073 experienced a cockpit attack by the co-pilot using an emergency axe, causing the plane to lose over 14,000 feet of altitude.
- •Despite serious injuries, Captain Machchhar fought off the attacker and unlocked the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to restrain the assailant before a safe landing in Tabuk Airport.
- •Prime Minister Narendra Modi previously spoke with the recovering pilot, while the Federation of Indian Pilots has sought a national bravery award for his exceptional courage.
Key Questions Answered
The US House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan resolution to honour Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary courage and bravery during an attack on Flydubai Flight 1073 on September 30, 2026. Despite being seriously injured by the co-pilot in the cockpit, Machchhar resisted the attacker, unlocked the door to let off-duty pilots in, and helped ensure the safe landing of the aircraft.
The resolution explicitly condemns the attack as an act of terrorism and calls on Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to conduct a full and expeditious investigation. It also requests that the United States and Israel be kept fully informed regarding the progress of the probe.
While flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers aboard, the first officer attacked Captain Smit Machchhar in the cockpit using an emergency crash axe. The aircraft lost over 14,000 feet of altitude in less than 30 seconds before Machchhar managed to unlock the door, allowing off-duty pilots, crew, and passengers to restrain the attacker and safely divert the plane to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.
