Smit Machchhar
| Smit Machchhar | |
|---|---|
| Born | India |
| 💼 Occupation | |
Smit Machchhar is an Indian commercial pilot employed by Dubai Aviation Corporation doing business as flydubai. Machchhar served as captain during the Dubai to Tel Aviv Flydubai Flight 1073 on 30 September 2026 onboard a Boeing 737 Max airplane. On the flight, he was stabbed by his co-pilot in the cockpit. Government officials from Israel described the incident as an attempt by the co-pilot to deliberately cause an airline crash. Machchhar received life-threatening injuries from his co-pilot. He was able to open the cockpit door from the inside which allowed crew and passengers to subdue the co-pilot. The airplane proceeded to an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with no fatalities involved.[1][2][3][4]
Prior to working with flydubai, Machchhar was a training pilot for the company SpiceJet, and has prior experience on the Boeing 737 type of aircraft.[5][6]
Early life and background
Originally from Mumbai, India, Machchhar is Gujarati.[1][7]
Career
In 2008, Machchhar went to Dunedin, New Zealand for 1.5 years where he learned at company Mainland Air in flight training. Mainland Air stated he was accomplished academically, and that he "stood out" among his peers and "did well" in his coursework.[8]
By 2026, he had garnered over 13 years experience as a commercial pilot. He logged 9,750 hours on the 737 MAX 8/9 and 737-800 subset of Boing airplanes. Of this, he served as pilot-in-command during 6,400 on those aircraft.[5][9]
Machchhar was hired by the company SpiceJet in 2011 and was there for 11 years where he served in positions including: senior commander, line training captain, and mentor to other pilots.[9][10]
He was hired by Flydubai as a captain and pilot in 2022, and worked out of their Dubai facilities.[9][11]
Flydubai Flight 1073
Machchhar served as pilot on the Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on 30 September 2026. This was a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration A6-FKF) airplane with about 180 individuals onboard flying from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel. Two hours into the flight, the plane proceeded to a rapid descent of approximately 15,000 feet in under two minutes. The airplane transmitted emergency code 7700, followed by aircraft hijacking code 7500.[2][12][13]
Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated the co-pilot attempted to crash the plane after stabbing Machchhar. He was badly hurt by his Omani co-pilot, but responded with physical force, and unlocked the cockpit door allowing crew and passengers to disable the co-pilot. Passengers further stopped the airplane's rapid descent.[3][2][1][14]
The airplane made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The two airplane pilots were taken off the aircraft to a hospital. Machchhar received surgery and was in stable condition.[15] The airplane's former passengers were put on a different Flydubai aircraft after Saudi Arabia did not allow Israel to send Israeli planes to get them.[12] Flydubai temporarily stopped all future air departures to and from Israel during their analysis of the incident. Israel government sources called the incident an act of terror and started an investigation. The co-pilot was interrogated by law enforcment authorities from Saudi Arabia. Israel began more aggressive screening procedures for foreign pilots on planes with passengers from Israel.[12][14][2][3][16]
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Machchhar a "true hero" and said he saved the lives of 174 people. This praise was echoed by the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia.[3][2][15]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Zanger-Shamir, Maya (30 September 2026). "Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar reportedly aided rescue efforts while wounded". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Flydubai latest: Hero passenger says he put attacker in a chokehold after cockpit struggle". CNN. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "'Hero' pilot stabbed by other pilot on Israel-bound plane, Israeli PM says". BBC News. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ Ahmed, Aftab; Sharma, Saurabh; Ahmed, Aftab (2026-10-01). "From textile engineering to cockpit hero: Indian pilot wins praise after flydubai drama". Reuters. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Who is Smit Machchhar? Indian captain who fought flydubai co-pilot to land flight safely". The Financial Express. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ Jose, Sachin (30 September 2026). "Who is Smit Machchhar? Hero Indian flydubai captain was former SpiceJet pilot, has 9,750 flying hours on Boeing aircraft". The Week. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "Gujarat Pilot Smit Machchhar Stops Co-Pilot From Taking Control, Prevents Flydubai Flight From Crashing". Vibes of India. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "NZ-trained pilot stabbed on Israel-bound flight 'stood out' as student". 1News. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Who Is Smit Machchhar, Indian Pilot Who Fended Off Omani Co-Pilot Aboard Flydubai Flight". News18. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "Who is Smit Machchhar, flydubai pilot involved in mid-air cockpit incident". India.com. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "Meet Smit Machchhar, Flydubai captain stabbed in cockpit who fought to save jet". Ynetnews. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Blumenthal, Itay (30 September 2026). "אחרי שעות מורטות עצבים: נוסעי "פליי דובאי" שבו ארצה". Kan News (in עברית).
- ↑ "Copilot subdued after stabbing pilot in alleged attempt to crash plane full of Israelis". The Times of Israel. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "ركاب رحلة "فلاي دبي" يصلون تل أبيب ونتنياهو يلتقيهم في المطار". BBC News Arabic (in العربية). 30 September 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Flydubai Pilot Smit Machchhar Undergoes Surgery After Cockpit Stabbing". i24NEWS. 30 September 2026.
- ↑ "Flydubai pilot stabbed in attempt to down Israel-bound plane". Deutsche Welle. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
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