Smit Machchhar, the Indian captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was nearly hijacked a day earlier, was airlifted to Abu Dhabi for advanced medical care on Thursday (Oct 1). During the flight, Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot, who tried to hijack the aircraft with the intention of crashing it. Though severely injured, the experienced pilot resisted the Omani co-pilot’s attempt to kill everyone on board and fought him off. He managed to open the cockpit door, which allowed passengers to rush in and overpower the attacker. Machchhar saved the lives of all 174 passengers on board and has been dubbed a “hero” for his courage. He has been praised by world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
Machchhar suffered stab wounds in the cockpit violence and was bleeding heavily. A dentist on board tended to his wounds and stabilised his condition, though his health deteriorated slightly as the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Two off-duty pilots had taken over the flight controls after the situation was brought under control.
After the aircraft landed at Tabuk Airport, Machchhar underwent surgery at a local hospital. Once his condition was stable, arrangements were made to airlift him to Abu Dhabi for further specialised treatment.
‘Machchhar in good health and recovering’
Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal visited the pilot and his family at the hospital. He said Captain Machchhar is in good health and recovering well.
In a statement, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said, “Amb Deepak Mittal visited Captain Smit Machchhar and his family at the hospital. Captain Machchhar is in good health and recovering well. The Embassy remains in close coordination with local authorities to ensure his continued medical care and well-being.”
Who is Smit Machchhar?
Smit Machchhar, an Indian aviation professional and former SpiceJet commander, was the captain of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has more than 13 years of experience and over 9,750 flying hours across Boeing 737 aircraft, including the B737-800 and B737 MAX 8/9.
Machchhar has been working as a captain with Flydubai since June 2022. Before that, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, where he was a senior commander. He has also served as a Line Training Captain and is skilled in mentoring and assessing pilots. He completed his Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Welingkar Institute of Management.
What happened on the Flydubai flight?
A major hijacking attempt was foiled on a Flydubai flight carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday (Sep 30). The situation turned chaotic when the Omani co-pilot attempted to murder Captain Smit Machchhar and hijack the flight with the intention of crashing it. Despite severe wounds and blood loss, Machchhar fought back against his co-pilot and managed to open the cockpit door.
Once the door was open, passengers rushed in and overpowered the co-pilot and restrained him. A dentist on the flight treated Machchhar’s injuries and stabilised him. Two off-duty pilots who were among the passengers took control of the aircraft and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Also Read:Dentist Who Treated Injured Flydubai Pilot Reveals How Badly He Was Hurt
During the altercation, the plane suddenly dropped from nearly 34,000 feet to less than 17,000 feet. It also sent out the distress signal 7700, a general international emergency code. It briefly sent the code 7500, which signals hijacking and unlawful interference, before returning to the original distress code.
The Israeli passengers were then sent on another Flydubai flight to their intended destination in Tel Aviv. No other crew members or passengers were injured in the incident. Machchhar underwent surgery in Saudi Arabia after landing and was airlifted to the UAE on Thursday (Oct 1).
