‘Saved 174 people’: Modi, Trump, Netanyahu hail Mumbai pilot who foiled Flydubai crash attempt
An Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, is hailed as a hero after preventing a flydubai plane crash, diverting it to Saudi Arabia when his co-pilot allegedly attacked him.
An Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, is hailed as a hero after preventing a flydubai plane crash, diverting it to Saudi Arabia when his co-pilot allegedly attacked him.
An Indian pilot, Smit Machchhar, is hailed as a hero after preventing a flydubai plane crash, diverting it to Saudi Arabia when his co-pilot allegedly attacked him.
New Delhi: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has been hailed as a hero after he helped prevent a flydubai passenger aircraft from crashing when his co-pilot allegedly stabbed him and attempted to take control of the Boeing 737.
The flydubai flight, FZ1073, was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the altercation between the two pilots began. The aircraft was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Machchhar a hero for his efforts. "Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health," Modi said in a post on X.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised Machchhar for saving the lives of passengers on board.
"He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals," Netanyahu said in a post on X. He had earlier said in a video statement that all passengers were out of harm's way.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu told Reuters that Machchhar, who was covered in blood and lying on the cockpit floor, managed to release the cockpit door. This allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot, while two other flydubai pilots who were on board reached the cockpit and helped land the aircraft in Saudi Arabia. Machchhar, a native of Mumbai, was reportedly stabbed by his colleague and later underwent surgery.
US President Donald Trump described Machchhar as a "hero" while recounting the incident at the Oval Office. Trump said he had spoken to Netanyahu, who had briefed him about the events on board the aircraft. According to Trump's account, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door after being attacked and called for help.
"The pilot was in very bad shape; I guess he still is in very bad shape, but he had the sense to, amazing, to, in a way he was a hero," Trump said.
Trump also described an intervention by an Israeli passenger, whom he identified as a plumber. The passenger allegedly entered the cockpit, pulled the co-pilot from his seat and restrained him with the help of other passengers. The passenger had reportedly never flown an aircraft. Trump said he had told him that he had learnt some basic concepts about flying from watching the television programme Air Disasters.
Over 9,750 hours of flying experience
Machchhar has been a captain on flydubai's Boeing 737 aircraft since June 2022, according to the Hindustan Times. Before joining flydubai, he worked with SpiceJet for more than 11 years and also trained other pilots.
His LinkedIn profile states that he has more than 9,750 hours of flying experience.
Machchhar's brother is also a pilot. Media reports said he had previously worked with Indian airline Akasa Air before recently joining flydubai. An old interview in which Machchhar discussed the challenges faced by pilots has also been circulating on social media following the incident.
The motive behind the altercation between the pilots remains unclear. flydubai said the underlying reasons for the incident were not known and cautioned against "premature speculation".
The airline has suspended flights to and from Israel amid the investigation. Netanyahu described the incident as a "highly severe security incident" and said Saudi authorities would question the co-pilot.
Initial reports had suggested that the aircraft had been hijacked. Israeli authorities later clarified that it was not a hijacking and that the aircraft had made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia following an incident between the pilots.
The aircraft reportedly plunged thousands of feet during the struggle. CNN reported that it descended from about 34,000 feet to around 20,000 feet within two minutes. All passengers on board were reported to have reached safety.