Wednesday 30th September: An Indian captain is being praised around the world after being stabbed in the cockpit of a passenger jet and still helping to bring it to safety.
Captain Smit Machchhar was in command of Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv, when a violent altercation broke out on the flight deck. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot stabbed the captain and tried to crash the aircraft. According to Netanyahu, Captain Machchhar, though seriously injured, fought back and opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to restrain the attacker. The aircraft diverted and landed safely at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Flydubai says the motives remain unknown and subject to a formal investigation, and has suspended its flights to and from Israel while that continues.
Netanyahu credited the captain with saving the 174 people on board. India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said his “extraordinary courage and remarkable presence of mind” averted a major tragedy, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him a hero. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh says he is receiving treatment in hospital in Tabuk and is reported to be in a stable condition.
Captain Machchhar has more than 13 years of commercial flying experience, including over a decade with SpiceJet as a senior commander before joining Flydubai in 2022.
Despite being wounded, he still put the safety of every person on board first. His actions reflect the values of dharma and seva that are core components of the Hindu way of life.
Join us in wishing Captain Machchhar a full and speedy recovery.