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Smit Machchhar

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Smit Machchhar
Born1987 or 1988 (age 38)[1]
India
OccupationPilot
Known forPilot of Flydubai Flight FZ1073

Smit Machchhar is an Indian commercial pilot employed by flydubai. Machchhar served as captain during the Dubai to Tel Aviv Flydubai Flight 1073 on 30 September 2026 on a Boeing 737 MAX. On the flight, he was stabbed by his co-pilot in the cockpit. Government officials from Israel described the incident as an attempt by the co-pilot to deliberately cause an airline crash. Machchhar received life-threatening injuries from his co-pilot. He opened the cockpit door from the inside, allowing crew and passengers to subdue the co-pilot. The airplane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with no fatalities.[2][3][4][5]

Before joining Flydubai, Machchhar was a training pilot at SpiceJet and has experience flying the Boeing 737.[6][7]

Early life and education

[edit]

Originally from Mumbai, India, Machchhar is Gujarati.[8][2][9] His family and friends call him "Smit Mac".[10] His family is from the Ghatkopar East Assembly constituency.[11] His neighbour and friend Dharav Gosalia later attended flight school with him and also became an airline pilot.[10] His family worked in the textile industry, and as a child he assumed he would join the family business.[12][1][11] He studied and received degrees in both management and textile engineering.[1][11] He studied business at Welingkar Institute of Management.[5]

At the age of 19, he went to a seminar on the airline industry, which led him to research how to become a professional airline pilot.[5][1][13] In a 2025 interview on a YouTube channel hosted by Zalak Mehta, he said, "Unlike a lot of other aviators right now, aviation was not a childhood dream. It came along much later in my life."[5][14] In 2008, Machchhar spent 18 months in Dunedin, New Zealand, doing flight training at Mainland Air.[12][11][15] He was joined there by his friend Gosalia.[10] Mainland Air stated he was accomplished academically, and that he "stood out" among his peers and "did well" in his coursework.[16][15] Mainland Air CEO Philip Kean stated, "He was always sort of a jovial young man and he tried hard. He definitely got a smile of his own ... he’s sort of a happy, happy chap."[11] After completing his training, Machchhar returned to India to work as a pilot.[8]

Career

[edit]

Machchhar's first professional experience in the cockpit of a commercial airliner was on a flight in India, from Bengaluru to Delhi.[1] He noted of this early flying experience, "That was scary. Not because of the flying part, but the responsibility."[1] From early on in his professional flying experience, Machchhar knew that he wanted to pilot Boeing airplanes, commenting: "My first aircraft was a Boeing, and it’s always been that aircraft all my life."[13][1] He was hired by the company SpiceJet in 2011, where he was trained by Captain Gurucharan Arora.[1][17][18] He worked there alongside his friend from Mumbai and fellow flight school graduate colleague, Captain Dharav Gosalia.[10] Machchhar worked for SpiceJet for 11 years.[19][17] His roles there included senior commander, line training captain, and mentor to other pilots.[17][18][11]

He was hired by Flydubai as a captain and pilot in 2022, and worked out of their Dubai facilities.[13][17][20] By 2026, he had garnered over 13 years experience as a commercial pilot.[5][6] He logged 9,750 hours on the Boeing 737-800 and 737 MAX 8/9 aircraft.[10][5][6] Of this, he served as pilot-in-command for 6,400 hours on those aircraft.[6][17][16]

As a captain, Machchhar had previously dealt with monsoon turbulence and an in-flight birth.[16][12][1] He described the decisions he had to make during the birth: "We checked out the nearest airfields, the weather for all the airfields, we saw what is operationally feasible, we had six, seven minutes. And suddenly in [the] next couple of minutes we got a call, 'We’ve got a baby on board.'"[1]

Machchhar has also been an instructor at Fly By Aviation, a private flight school.[12]

Flydubai Flight 1073

[edit]

Machchhar served as pilot on the Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on 30 September 2026.[13] The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registration A6-FKF), was carrying about 180 people from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.[13] Two hours into the flight, the plane descended about 14,000 feet in 29 seconds.[21] The airplane transmitted emergency code 7700, followed by aircraft hijacking code 7500.[3][22][23]

Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated the co-pilot attempted to crash the plane after stabbing Machchhar. Though badly injured by his Omani co-pilot, he fought back and unlocked the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to subdue the co-pilot.[24][16] Passengers further stopped the airplane's rapid descent.[4][3][2][25] By the time he was able to open the cockpit door, Machchhar had already lost a great deal of blood and collapsed.[26][24] While lying on the floor and bleeding, under the care of a dentist passenger, Machchhar told the dentist about his children and asked him to save his life.[8][1] The dentist, Shota Musaev, stated the pilot had incurred "massive blood loss" and was "severely wounded".[11]

The airplane made an emergency landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Both pilots were taken to hospital. Machchhar underwent surgery and was in stable condition.[24][27] The passengers were transferred to another Flydubai aircraft after Saudi Arabia refused to let Israel send planes to collect them.[22] Flydubai temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel while it investigated the incident. Israel government sources called the incident an act of terror and started an investigation. The co-pilot was interrogated by Saudi authorities. Israel began more aggressive screening procedures for foreign pilots on planes with passengers from Israel.[22][25][3][4][28]

After his medical treatment in Saudi Arabia, he was taken by air medical services to Abu Dhabi.[13][12] He was visited there by the Ambassador of India.[12][13] His family had traveled there to be with him.[12][13]

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Machchhar a "true hero" and said he saved the lives of 174 people. This praise was echoed by the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia.[4][3][27]

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, personally reached out to the wife and parents of Machchhar and said he was, "Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health."[29] Modi stated: "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 valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy."[16] Modi said the pilot had displayed, "patience, presence of mind and courage"[16] He stated the captain's "actions prevented another 9/11-like attack from happening."[16][19] Speaking for the people of India, Modi emphasized, "Smit’s bravery fills every Indian with pride."[16]

Two separate GoFundMe fundraisers were set up to support Machchhar's family, and his medical expenses.[26] The day after the incident, the campaigns had raised a total of US$80,000.[26] Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar praised Machchhar's actions, saying, "A true real-life hero. The entire world is proud of you."[26] Fellow cricketers including Suresh Raina, Virender Sehwag, and Yuvraj Singh sent messages of support.[26] He received comments honoring his actions from Bollywood film actors including Shamita Shetty, Raveena Tandon, and Sonam Kapoor.[26]

Personal life

[edit]

Machchhar lives in Dubai with his spouse and two children.[16][1][11] They moved to Dubai for his role with Flydubai.[8] He has said he focuses on his family when he is off duty: "When I get out of the cockpit or the aircraft, I don't want the other guy to know that I'm a pilot I don't want to discuss aviation. When I wear the uniform, then no nonsense and just do your job, finish the job. When you walk out of the cockpit, that's it. Stop thinking about that. Someone else needs you now. The kids are there. They want to play with you."[5]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pokharel, Krishna; Hassan, Aakash, "The 38-Year-Old Captain Who Fought Off Cockpit Attack on FlyDubai Flight - Smit Machchhar is hailed for his heroism after being stabbed on Flight 1073", The Wall Street Journal, retrieved 1 October 2026
  2. 1 2 3 Zanger-Shamir, Maya (30 September 2026). "Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar reportedly aided rescue efforts while wounded". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Flydubai latest: Hero passenger says he put attacker in a chokehold after cockpit struggle". CNN. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "'Hero' pilot stabbed by other pilot on Israel-bound plane, Israeli PM says". BBC News. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ahmed, Aftab; Sharma, Saurabh; Ahmed, Aftab (1 October 2026). "From textile engineering to cockpit hero: Indian pilot wins praise after flydubai drama". Reuters. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Who is Smit Machchhar? Indian captain who fought flydubai co-pilot to land flight safely". The Financial Express. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  7. ↑ Jose, Sachin (30 September 2026). "Who is Smit Machchhar? Hero Indian flydubai captain was former SpiceJet pilot, has 9,750 flying hours on Boeing aircraft". The Week. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Craw, Victoria (1 October 2026), "Who is the Indian pilot who fought off his cockpit attacker? - Captain Smit Machchhar once said he had planned to join his family's textile business before being bitten by the "aviation bug."", The Washington Post, retrieved 1 October 2026
  9. ↑ "Gujarat Pilot Smit Machchhar Stops Co-Pilot From Taking Control, Prevents Flydubai Flight From Crashing". Vibes of India. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Biswas, Soutik (1 October 2026), "'He's taught us courage': Friend on Indian pilot hailed as a hero", BBC News, retrieved 1 October 2026
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Mogul, Rhea; Shah, Ayushi (1 October 2026), "Captain Smit Machchhar: The 'jovial' pilot and father who thwarted the Flydubai attacker", CNN, retrieved 1 October 2026
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sengupta, Somini; Raj, Suhasini; Mashal, Mujib (1 October 2026), "Who Is the Indian Pilot Being Hailed as a Hero? - Capt. Smit Machchhar suffered stab wounds while fending off an attack from his co-pilot, saving the lives of around 170 people on board, officials said.", The New York Times, retrieved 1 October 2026
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Aggarwal, Mithil (1 October 2026), "What we know about the pilot hailed as a hero for averting crash of Israel-bound plane - Captain Smit Machchhar was severely injured by his fellow pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, an action credited with saving the lives of everyone on board.", NBC News, retrieved 1 October 2026
  14. ↑ "From textile engg to passion for aviation: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar wins praise for averting flydubai crash". The Tribune. Press Trust of India. 1 October 2026. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  15. 1 2 "NZ-trained pilot stabbed on Israel-bound flight 'stood out' as student". 1News. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Saaliq, Sheikh; Maqbool, Rafiq (1 October 2026), "An Indian airline captain is hailed as a hero after a cockpit attack on a FlyDubai flight", Associated Press, retrieved 1 October 2026
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "Who Is Smit Machchhar, Indian Pilot Who Fended Off Omani Co-Pilot Aboard Flydubai Flight". News18. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  18. 1 2 "Who is Smit Machchhar, flydubai pilot involved in mid-air cockpit incident". India.com. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  19. 1 2 Norman-Diamond, Greg (1 October 2026), "FlyDubai pilot showed world 'the highest form of courage,' India's PM says - Prime Minister Modi said Captain Smit Machchhar 'prevented another 9/11-like attack'", Fox News, retrieved 1 October 2026
  20. ↑ "Meet Smit Machchhar, Flydubai captain stabbed in cockpit who fought to save jet". Ynetnews. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  21. ↑ Chakraborty, Abhishek (1 October 2026), "Plunged 14,000 feet in 29 secs: How stabbed Indian pilot averted flydubai crash - The flydubai stabbing on Flight FZ1073 sent a Boeing 737 diving 14,125 feet in 29 seconds before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia.", The Indian Express, retrieved 2 October 2026
  22. 1 2 3 Blumenthal, Itay (30 September 2026). "אחרי שעות מורטות עצבים: נוסעי "פליי דובאי" שבו ארצה". Kan News (in Hebrew).
  23. ↑ "Copilot subdued after stabbing pilot in alleged attempt to crash plane full of Israelis". The Times of Israel. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  24. 1 2 3 "'Immense courage and resolve': Pilot feted for crucial role in saving the lives of all aboard flydubai 1073 - Indian national Smit Machchhar undergoes surgery in Saudi Arabia after being attacked by Omani copilot, who Netanyahu says 'obviously hated Israelis' while acknowledging his 'exact background' remains unclear", The Times of Israel, 1 October 2026, retrieved 1 October 2026
  25. 1 2 "ركاب رحلة "فلاي دبي" يصلون تل أبيب ونتنياهو يلتقيهم في المطار". BBC News Arabic (in Arabic). 30 September 2026.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Nearly $80,000 raised for wounded flydubai pilot - A GoFundMe campaign organized by Jewish Breaking News raised more than $73,000 toward a $130,000 goal for flydubai Capt. Smit Machchhar.", The Jerusalem Post, 1 October 2026, retrieved 1 October 2026
  27. 1 2 "Flydubai Pilot Smit Machchhar Undergoes Surgery After Cockpit Stabbing". i24NEWS. 30 September 2026.
  28. ↑ "Flydubai pilot stabbed in attempt to down Israel-bound plane". Deutsche Welle. 30 September 2026. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
  29. ↑ Asia News Network (2 October 2026), "'India is proud': PM Modi reaches out to Flydubai hero Smit Machchhar's wife and parents - The former SpiceJet training captain has around 9,750 flying hours and is being treated in Tabuk after the Dubai-Tel Aviv aircraft was forced to divert to Saudi Arabia.", The Statesman, retrieved 2 October 2026

Further reading

[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Smit_Machchhar&oldid=1377992345"