Pilot injured in alleged cockpit attack praised after plane lands safely

Captain Smit Machchhar has been praised as a hero after being seriously injured while attempting to stop an alleged attack aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The Boeing 737 Max 8 was about two and a half hours into its journey when the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife and tried to crash the aircraft, according to news agency reports. Flight-tracking data showed the plane falling 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the struggle.

Machchhar reportedly opened the cockpit door despite his injuries, allowing crew members and passengers to overpower the attacker. The plane sent a distress call to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia at 8.44am local time and landed there about an hour later. Two crew members travelling as passengers landed the aircraft safely, according to the source material.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Machchhar a hero, saying his courage had protected the lives of others and averted a major tragedy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised his “extraordinary bravery”, saying the pilot’s actions prevented a catastrophic mid-air disaster. Machchhar was taken to hospital in Tabuk and underwent surgery.

The Indian embassy in Riyadh said he was in stable condition and that it was in contact with his family and Saudi authorities. His parents travelled from Mumbai to care for him. Machchhar, who is from Mumbai, has flown for flydubai for four years after a decade with SpiceJet.

His LinkedIn profile records more than 9,750 flying hours and over 13 years’ experience piloting Boeing 737 aircraft. He trained in New Zealand, where a former instructor praised how he handled the attack. Flydubai has warned against premature speculation and suspended flights between the United Arab Emirates and Israel while the investigation continues.

The motive behind the alleged attack remains unclear.