An Indian airline captain has been praised as a hero after he fought back against a stabbing attack in the cockpit of a flydubai flight bound for Israel, helping to prevent what Israeli officials described as a catastrophic mid air disaster.
Captain Smit Machchhar was in command of flydubai Flight 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when, according to Israeli officials and passenger accounts, the first officer stabbed him and appeared to try to disable the aircraft. Despite being seriously injured, Captain Machchhar resisted the assault and unlocked the cockpit door, allowing Israeli passengers and Emirati crew to enter, overpower the attacker and restore control of the aircraft.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Captain Machchhar had shown extraordinary bravery. He said the captain fought back, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to subdue the attacker, saving the lives of 174 people on board, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. Mr Netanyahu wished him a speedy and full recovery and called him a true hero.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry issued a similar tribute, describing Captain Machchhar as a hero whose actions, together with those of passengers and crew, saved everyone on the flight.
The aircraft, a Boeing 737, left Dubai International Airport early on Wednesday morning. Around two and a half hours into the journey, as it approached Israeli airspace, a violent struggle broke out in the flight deck. Flight tracking data showed the aircraft plunging more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. Passengers later said the plane dropped suddenly and appeared to go into a spin.
Yaniv Hayun, an Israeli passenger who later spoke to Mr Netanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport, said he realised something was wrong when the aircraft lost height. He said that when he and another man reached the cockpit they found one pilot down and the attacker between the seats, apparently trying to destroy the instruments. Mr Hayun said he put the attacker in a chokehold and pulled him out of the cockpit.
Other passengers and cabin crew joined the effort. Two qualified pilots who were travelling on the flight then took control of the aircraft. The plane was diverted and made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in north western Saudi Arabia. All passengers were later reported safe. Many were subsequently flown on to Israel.
Captain Machchhar, an Indian national from Gujarat, joined flydubai as a captain in 2022 after more than a decade with the Indian carrier SpiceJet, where he served as a senior commander and training captain. He has extensive experience on the Boeing 737 fleet. After the landing he was taken to hospital in Tabuk. The Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said he was in a stable condition. Passengers, including an Israeli dentist, administered first aid during the flight as he bled heavily from wounds to the head and hands.
The first officer, reported by Israeli officials to be an Omani national, was arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities. Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, described the incident as an attempted jihadist terror attack. No official motive has yet been confirmed by investigators in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates or Israel.
Flydubai said an altercation had occurred in the flight deck and that on duty crew travelling on the flight had helped secure the aircraft. The airline later said it was suspending flights to and from Israel pending further investigation.
Mr Netanyahu met returning passengers in Tel Aviv and thanked those who had forced their way into the cockpit. He said Captain Machchhar’s resistance at the critical moment had made that intervention possible.
By John James
