Indian pilot Smit Machchhar hailed for saving lives in mid-air attack

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, is being lauded for his bravery in saving 174 lives. He was stabbed by his co-pilot on Flydubai flight FZ1073 but managed to avert a disaster, earning praise from Indian and Israeli leaders.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday saluted the bravery of Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, who saved many lives despite being gravely injured in a mid-air attack. In a post shared on X, Jaiswal said Machchhar's actions, despite being gravely injured, saved the lives of many and said the nation stood with him and his family.

"We salute the bravery of Captain Smit Machchhar, who, inspite of being gravely injured, showed remarkable courage that saved the lives of many. He is receiving medical attention and is safe. We wish and pray for his speedy recovery. The nation proudly stands with him and his family," he said.

We salute the bravery of Captain Smit Machchhar, who, inspite of being gravely injured, showed remarkable courage that saved the lives of many. He is receiving medical attention and is safe. We wish and pray for his speedy recovery. The nation proudly stands with him and his… — Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 1, 2026

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also hailed the pilot's courage, saying his presence of mind in the face of grave danger helped save hundreds of lives. "Captain Smit Machchhar’s extraordinary courage and remarkable presence of mind, even in the face of grave danger, saved hundreds of lives yesterday and averted a major tragedy. Join the countless voices from across the world in saluting his valour and praying for his speedy recovery," Jaishankar said.

Captain Smit Machchhar’s extraordinary courage and remarkable presence of mind, even in the face of grave danger, saved hundreds of lives yesterday and averted a major tragedy. Join the countless voices from across the world in saluting his valour and praying for his speedy… — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 1, 2026

Indian Leaders Praise Captain's Courage

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said Machchhar's bravery reflected India's values and praised his actions in protecting the passengers aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073. "I bow in deep respect and salute the extraordinary courage, presence of mind and unyielding valour of Captain Smit Machchhar," Adhikari said.

Adhikari said Machchhar, despite being stabbed and grievously wounded inside the cockpit, managed to overpower the attacker and avert a catastrophic mid-air disaster. "Aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, on its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Captain Machchhar faced an unthinkable crisis high in the skies. Despite being stabbed and grievously wounded inside the cockpit, his indomitable spirit never wavered. He fought back resolutely and managed to overpower the attacker and avert a catastrophic mid-air disaster. Through his supreme bravery he saved the lives of 174 passengers and crew on board, including citizens of Israel and other nations," he said.

He added that Machchhar's actions reflected the ethos of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" and the duty to place the safety of innocent lives above one's own. "Captain Machchhar’s valour is a shining reflection of India’s timeless civilisational ethos; Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family) and the sacred duty of placing the safety of innocent lives above one’s own. In safeguarding human lives mid-air, his heroic act has touched hearts across the globe and further deepened the enduring bond of friendship, trust and mutual respect between India and Israel. Captain Machchhar has made our entire nation swell with immense pride," he said.

"On behalf of the people of West Bengal, I convey our deepest appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to this brave son of India. Our prayers are with him and his family for a swift, full and complete recovery. India salutes you, Captain Smit Machchhar," Adhikari added.

I bow in deep respect and salute the extraordinary courage, presence of mind and unyielding valour of Captain Smit Machchhar. Aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, on its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Captain Machchhar faced an unthinkable crisis high in the skies. Despite being… pic.twitter.com/SbBVxsIXZO — Suvendu Adhikari (@SuvenduWB) October 1, 2026

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said Machchhar exemplified extraordinary courage and an unwavering commitment to duty. "Captain Smit Machchhar exemplifies extraordinary courage and an unwavering commitment to duty. Despite being seriously injured, he put the safety of others before his own, displaying remarkable bravery and presence of mind that helped save hundreds of lives and avert a major tragedy. His valour is a source of immense pride and inspiration for the entire nation. Salute to Captain Machchhar. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health," Dhami said.

Captain Smit Machchhar exemplifies extraordinary courage and an unwavering commitment to duty. Despite being seriously injured, he put the safety of others before his own, displaying remarkable bravery and presence of mind that helped save hundreds of lives and avert a major… — Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) October 1, 2026

Details of the Mid-Air Incident

The flight Flydubai FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the mid-air incident occurred. Machchhar was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot, who stabbed him and allegedly attempted to take control of the aircraft. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to intervene. The aircraft subsequently diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Flydubai acknowledged that "an altercation occurred in the flight deck" and said the aircraft "was successfully secured by on-duty FlyDubai crew travelling on the flight, who diverted and landed the aircraft safely". The passengers were later flown to Tel Aviv on another aircraft.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier hailed Machchhar as a "HERO", saying his courage and resolve helped save hundreds of lives and avert a major tragedy. "Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health," Modi said in a post on X.

Global Recognition for Heroism

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised Machchhar's "unbelievable courage" following the incident aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight. In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said Machchhar was badly wounded and bleeding profusely after an attack inside the cockpit but managed to unlock the cockpit door as the aircraft went into a nosedive, allowing passengers and other crew members to intervene.

Netanyahu said Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun rushed towards the cockpit, pulled the attacking pilot away from the controls and helped stabilise the aircraft, while other passengers and crew members subdued the attacker. He described the combined actions of Machchhar, Hayoun and others as an "amazing act of heroism", saying they had stopped a disaster that could have been "global".

Netanyahu also said the incident had a personal resonance for him because of his family's history with terrorism and hostage-rescue operations, including the death of his elder brother, Lieutenant Colonel Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu, during the 1976 Entebbe rescue operation.

Passenger Accounts

A passenger, Almog Italie, described the terrifying moments during the flight, saying, "Suddenly the airplane dropped, massive turbulence for 20, 30 seconds, and then balanced, and then once again dropped for ten seconds, and balanced again, and then we saw that, in the front of the aircraft there was a riot," CBS News reported.

According to reports, the aircraft plunged approximately 17,000 feet in less than two minutes during the confrontation. Passengers who intervened later recounted how they entered the cockpit, subdued the attacker and helped stabilise the aircraft.

Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun said he saw the attacker at the controls and pulled him away before using the aircraft's controls to help level the plane. Another passenger, Shota Musayev, an Israeli dentist, said he rushed to the cockpit after hearing screams and provided emergency medical assistance to the injured captain.

"When I came into the cockpit, the pilot was in real bad shape, with heavy bleeding, particularly from his head," Musayev told The Times of Israel. He said he was the only doctor on the aircraft and managed to stop the bleeding and stabilise Machchhar's blood pressure.

Earlier, the Indian Embassy in France also paid tribute to Machchhar for his "extraordinary courage", saying he fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew subdue the attacker. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs called Machchhar a hero and said his actions, along with those of Israeli passengers and Emirati crew members, helped save 174 lives.

Captain's Profile and Airline's Response

Machchhar is a seasoned pilot and currently serves as a direct-entry captain with UAE-based carrier Flydubai. He has more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and around 9,750 total flying hours, predominantly operating Boeing 737 aircraft. Before joining Flydubai, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, where he served as a Line Training Captain.

Meanwhile, flydubai will temporarily suspend flights to and from Israel as an investigation into Wednesday’s mid-air incident is underway, an airline spokesperson said, CNN reported.

(ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)