Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the bravery of Indian-origin Captain Smit Machchhar, who helped prevent a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Israel from becoming involved in a disaster. Modi described Captain Machchhar as a “hero” in a post on social media platform X.
A violent incident in the cockpit of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, raised serious concerns over aircraft safety. Indian-origin Captain Smit Machchhar was injured during the incident. According to reports, he suffered a knife injury during a confrontation in the cockpit but played a key role in managing the situation despite being injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly praised his courage.
In a social media post, Modi said Captain Machchhar displayed exceptional courage and determination despite being seriously injured. According to Modi, his actions helped save the lives of people on board the aircraft and avert a major tragedy.
According to reports, the Flydubai Boeing 737 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when a violent confrontation broke out in the cockpit between the captain and co-pilot. Initial reports alleged that the co-pilot had attempted to interfere with and damage the aircraft's systems. However, the full circumstances and motive behind the incident remain under investigation. Flydubai also confirmed the incident, describing it as a serious incident that occurred during the flight, and urged against premature speculation.
During the incident, the aircraft experienced a sudden and significant drop in altitude. According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft descended by around 14,300 feet, and emergency-related transponder codes were activated shortly afterwards. The aircraft was subsequently diverted towards Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
According to reports, Captain Machchhar was injured in the attack inside the cockpit. Despite his injuries, he helped open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and giving them an opportunity to restrain the attacker. Additional pilots on board subsequently took control of the aircraft, which was safely landed in Tabuk. Reports said all passengers and crew members on board were safe.
Following the incident, Captain Machchhar and the co-pilot were taken to a hospital in Tabuk. According to available reports, Machchhar received treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
Captain Smit Machchhar has worked in the commercial aviation sector for several years. According to available information, he has been serving as a captain in Flydubai's Boeing 737 fleet since June 2022. Before joining Flydubai, he worked with India's SpiceJet for around 11 years, where he held responsibilities including those of senior commander and line training captain.
Reports also said he has around 9,750 flight hours of experience on the Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8. During his tenure at SpiceJet as a training captain, he was also responsible for the training and assessment of other pilots.
