Indian pilot Smit Machchhar is recovering in Saudi Arabia after a cockpit attack aboard a flydubai flight, drawing praise for helping prevent a potential disaster despite serious injuries.
WEBDESK – MEDIABITES
Smit Machchhar never planned to become a pilot.
The Mumbai native initially studied textile engineering with the intention of joining his family’s textile business. But at about 19, an aviation seminar changed the direction of his career — eventually leading him to the cockpit of a flydubai Boeing 737 and, this week, to international recognition after a dramatic mid-air emergency.
Machchhar is now recovering in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after being seriously injured during an incident aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Israeli officials said the co-pilot stabbed Machchhar and attempted to crash the aircraft carrying 174 people.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to activate the cockpit door release, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and overpower the co-pilot, according to Israeli officials. Other pilots who were traveling as passengers then helped regain control of the aircraft, which made an emergency landing in Tabuk.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was receiving medical treatment in Tabuk and was in stable condition according to the information available.
Modi and Netanyahu praise pilot
Machchhar’s actions have drawn praise from Indian and Israeli leaders.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a hero, saying the pilot showed courage and determination to protect the lives of others despite being seriously injured. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also publicly praised Machchhar’s actions.
The incident began when the flight reportedly went into a steep descent after the confrontation in the cockpit. Reuters reported that the aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before passengers and crew intervened.
The precise circumstances and motive behind the attack remain under investigation, and accounts of the incident have largely come from Israeli officials and people involved in the response.
From textile engineering to aviation
Machchhar’s path into aviation was unconventional.
After school, he enrolled in textile engineering because he expected to continue his family’s business. He later pursued management studies at Mumbai’s Welingkar Institute of Management.
It was during his management studies that he attended an aviation seminar and became interested in flying.
In a 2025 interview, Machchhar said aviation had not been a childhood ambition and that his mother was initially frightened by his decision to pursue a flying career.
He subsequently trained in New Zealand before joining Indian airline SpiceJet. He spent about 11 years with the airline and eventually became a line training captain, helping train younger pilots.
Machchhar joined flydubai in 2022 and has accumulated nearly 9,750 flying hours over a career spanning roughly 15 years, according to Reuters.
His philosophy: passengers must walk out
Machchhar has previously spoken about the responsibility that comes with being an airline pilot.
In his 2025 interview, he recalled situations involving medical emergencies, technical problems and flight diversions.
His approach was straightforward: delays were acceptable if they meant passengers ultimately reached their destination safely.
“Delay is not my problem,” he said in the interview, emphasizing that his priority was for passengers to leave the aircraft safely.
He also described deliberately separating his professional life from his personal life.
When he leaves the cockpit, he said, he prefers not to continue discussing aviation. His focus shifts from the responsibilities of the pilot to his life away from the aircraft.
A dramatic flight
The flydubai aircraft eventually landed safely in Tabuk after the cockpit confrontation.
Passengers and crew members helped restrain the attacker, while other pilots aboard the aircraft assisted with flying and landing the plane. The injured Machchhar was taken to hospital after landing.
The episode has since brought renewed attention to the people who helped prevent the aircraft from crashing, with Machchhar emerging as the central figure in accounts of the emergency.
For a pilot who discovered aviation only after leaving behind plans for a career in textiles, the events of Wednesday have placed his professional journey in an extraordinary spotlight.
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