Extraordinary bravery marked FlyDubai Flight FZ 1073, when Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar fought off his co‑pilot during a mid‑air struggle, saving 174 passengers, including 27 children.
The flight, en route from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport, dropped over 17,400 feet in two minutes after the co‑pilot allegedly tried to sabotage the aircraft’s systems. Despite being stabbed, Captain Machchhar resisted, while a crew member and passenger broke into the cockpit to subdue the suspect. The plane was diverted safely to Saudi Arabia, where the suspect was arrested.
Captain Machchhar, with over 13 years of flying experience and 9,750 hours on Boeing 737s, previously served as a line training captain at SpiceJet before joining FlyDubai in 2022. Trained in New Zealand, he has been with FlyDubai for four years. His courage drew global praise, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saluting him as a “hero”.
Passengers hailed the pilot’s quick thinking as the difference between disaster and survival. India’s embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed Captain Machchhar is recovering from injuries. The incident has prompted FlyDubai to suspend flights to Israel pending investigation.
