Indian airline captain hailed as a hero after cockpit stabbing on FlyDubai flight bound for Israel
The captain’s actions helped passengers and crew overpower the co-pilot, and officials said 174 people survived the emergency diversion.
- On Wednesday, Flydubai Flight FZ1073 diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after Captain Smit Machchhar fought off his co-pilot during a mid-air knife attack, ensuring all 174 passengers survived the emergency landing.
- The aircraft plunged approximately 17,000 feet after the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar and attempted to sabotage flight controls; the captain triggered the cockpit door release before collapsing.
- Machchhar, a veteran pilot with 9,750 total flying hours, remained conscious long enough to unlock the cockpit door, allowing standby pilots aboard to secure the aircraft for safe landing.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Machchhar as a "true hero," with Modi writing, "India is proud of Captain Machchhar" for his extraordinary resolve.
- Saudi authorities are interrogating the suspect while Netanyahu ordered heightened security protocols for all carriers entering Israeli airspace; Flydubai cautioned against "premature speculation" regarding the motive.
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The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a photo with Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who, although suffering serious injuries, managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to immobilize the attacker and thus prevent the collapse of the Flydubai plane to Israel. Currently, the man is celebrated as a hero in his country.
"Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO."
Trump and Netanyahu Praise Hero Pilot Whose 'Ukrainian, Emirati or Indian' Identity Confuses Media in 9/11 Plot
Captain Smit Machchhar and passengers helped stop an alleged cockpit attack on a Flydubai flight, which diverted to Saudi Arabia as investigators examined the co-pilot's motive.
Svenska Dagbladet
The prime ministers of India and Israel are paying tribute to the pilot who was injured aboard a plane bound for Tel Aviv on Wednesday.
The airline announced that all passengers, including many Israelis, were safe and sound, after this incident considered an attempted jihadist attack by the Israeli government.
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