The pilot who unlocked the cockpit door of a hijacked Flydubai flight after getting stabbed to allow passengers to storm the cockpit was identified by officials as Indian national Smit Machchhar.
Machchhar was first identified in Indian media, which was followed by a confirmation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. In a post on X, the prime minister wished him a “speedy and full recovery,” and hailed him as a “true hero.”
According to the account of Netanyahu and other passengers, Machchhar, a father, tried to fight off his co-pilot before being critically wounded with a small knife. With his little remaining strength, he opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers to storm the area and subdue the hijacker.
NETANYAHU SAYS ONE PILOT STABBED THE OTHER AND TRIED TO CRASH FLYDUBAI PLANE
“My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery,” Netanyahu said in a post on X. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster.
“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.”
Machchhar had been admitted to a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the plane made its emergency landing, according to the Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia. While awaiting a full update on his health, officials said that he’s in “stable” condition and that they were in touch with his family.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Flydubai for comment and an update on Machchhar’s condition.
Netanyahu spokesman Doron Spielman said the pilot used the “last moments of his energy” to open the cockpit door, which is typically locked, in line with post-9/11 safety protocols.
One of the first images and videos to emerge from the drama in the air was Machchhar’s bloodied body lying on the ground with an oxygen mask on. His life was saved by an Israeli doctor who happened to be on the flight.
Machchhar’s LinkedIn page showed that he flew with India’s domestic carrier, SpiceJet, from June 2011 to June 2022 before moving to Flydubai. He clocked 9,750 hours across the Boeing 737 fleet, including the B737-800 and B737 MAX 8/9. He was also a former line training captain.
He described himself on his LinkedIn page as “skilled in mentoring and assessing pilots, with a strong focus on safety, compliance, and operational excellence. Currently a Direct Entry Captain at Flydubai, seeking to contribute further to the training team.”
Machchhar appeared on a little-known podcast just under a year ago, Bona-Fide Banter, during which he spoke about his time as a pilot for nearly two hours. The attempted hijacking wasn’t his first eventful flight, as he recalled a previous occasion where a woman gave birth onboard.
His co-pilot hasn’t yet been named but was identified in Israeli media as an Omani national.
After Machchhar’s identity and the details of the event were revealed, outpourings of thanks and affection came from across the Israeli political spectrum.
Right-wing Israeli politician Almog Cohen hailed him as the “State of Israel’s hero of the day.”
Machchhar’s “remarkable resourcefulness enabled him to unlock the cockpit door and allow the Israeli lions to sink their teeth into the cowardly hyena who nearly killed 200 innocent people!” Cohen wrote in a post on X.
“Captain Machchhar, the State of Israel owes you a tremendous debt of gratitude,” Cohen added. “When the next Knesset convenes, I will submit a bill to name a lounge at Ben Gurion Airport in your honor!”
PASSENGERS FROM FLYDUBAI PLANE ARRIVE IN ISRAEL ON RESCUE FLIGHT
Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said he was praying for Machchhar’s recovery, whom he described as the “experienced and gifted hero Indian pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073.”
“His courage & the courage of other Israeli & Emirati passengers & crew members saved the lives of 180 souls,” he added.