Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar as a “true hero” after the cockpit attack aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, crediting his actions with helping prevent a major mid-air disaster. Machchhar was stabbed during the confrontation with his co-pilot but managed to resist, open the cockpit door and allow passengers and crew members to intervene. The aircraft, carrying more than 170 people, was later diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely in Tabuk.
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In a post on X, Netanyahu said: “My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.” He said Machchhar continued to fight back despite being seriously injured and helped enable passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. Netanyahu said the captain’s actions helped save the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals, and wished him “a speedy and full recovery”.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was thrown into chaos after a violent struggle broke out inside the cockpit between the captain and co-pilot.
Israeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed the captain before the aircraft suddenly began losing altitude. The co-pilot, whom an Israeli official identified as an Omani national, tried to take control of the aircraft. The plane then went into a dramatic descent. Flight-tracking data showed it plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
WHO IS CAPTAIN SMIT MACHCHHAR?
Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot stabbed during the flydubai cockpit incident, is an Indian national of Gujarati origin with more than a decade of experience in commercial aviation.
Machchhar joined flydubai as a direct-entry captain in June 2022. Before that, he spent nearly 11 years with SpiceJet, where he worked from June 2011 until 2022.
He is a Boeing 737 fleet expert and has focused on safety and compliance. He has also mentored other pilots during his career. Machchhar holds a degree in Business Administration from Welingkar Institute of Management.
WHAT WAS THE ATTACKER TRYING TO DO?
Passengers heard shouting and rushed towards the cockpit as the aircraft lost altitude. One passenger who helped subdue the attacker later recounted the dramatic moments to Netanyahu after returning to Israel. The passenger, identified as Yaniv,
Yaniv told Netanyahu that the stabbed Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door before collapsing, allowing passengers to enter and overpower the alleged attacker. He said the man was trying to destroy the aircraft’s systems and crash the plane. Asked what the attacker was doing, Yaniv replied: “He was trying to destroy the controls in order to disable the plane.”
Asked what the man had been doing, Yaniv replied: “He was trying to destroy the controls in order to disable the plane.”
Netanyahu said passengers and a crew member entered the cockpit after the aircraft “entered a tailspin and began to dive”. They found the co-pilot “trying to sabotage the plane’s systems”, Netanyahu said.
“They saved many lives. They prevented a heavy disaster,” he added.
A second set of pilots travelling on the flight then took over the controls. The aircraft was eventually stabilised and diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
INDIAN EMBASSY TRACKING HIS HEALTH
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate in Jeddah are closely monitoring the health of Captain Smit Machchhar after the flydubai flight landed in Tabuk Airport in northwest Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar has been admitted to a hospital in Tabuk, where he is receiving necessary medical treatment for the injuries he sustained during the incident. The embassy said a detailed update on his condition was still awaited, but he was reported to be in stable condition.
The embassy also said it was in touch with Machchhar’s family and was coordinating with Saudi authorities regarding his treatment and wellbeing.
“We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest,” the embassy said, assuring his family that it would continue to follow up on his health and extend all possible assistance. The statement offered the first official update from Indian authorities on the captain’s condition.
ISRAELI ENVOY ALSO PRAISES MACHCHHAR
Israel’s envoy to India also highlighted Machchhar’s role in the incident. In a post on X, the envoy described him as an “experienced and gifted hero Indian pilot” and said he was praying for his recovery.
“Together with Israel, India, UAE nations, I pray for the life of Captain Smit Machchhar, the experienced and gifted hero Indian pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073.
“His courage and the courage of other Israeli & Emirati passengers & crew members saved the lives of 180 souls,” he added.
After the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, the passengers remained in Saudi Arabia for around eight hours.
Two security sources told The Times of Israel that Israel had asked Saudi Arabia to allow Israeli aircraft to bring the passengers home. However, the request was rejected. They later departed for Israel aboard a replacement flydubai aircraft. The rescue flight subsequently landed at Ben Gurion International Airport.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
