Stabbed FlyDubai pilot stable in hospital after cockpit scuffle
The Indian pilot stabbed during an alleged hijacking attempt aboard a FlyDubai flight to Israel is in stable condition at a Saudi Arabian hospital, diplomatic officials and aviation authorities said on Thursday.
Representatives from the Indian Embassy in Riyadh confirmed that Captain Smit Machchhar remains under specialized medical care following emergency surgery. Machchhar has drawn widespread international praise for preventing a catastrophic crash after an altercation broke out inside the cockpit.
Critical dive and cockpit recovery
During the mid-flight confrontation, the passenger jet plunged approximately 5,200 metres (17,000 feet) within a single minute before Machchhar managed to regain mechanical control and level the aircraft. The crew subsequently diverted the airliner, executing an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar completed his advanced flight training in 2008 at New Zealand's Mainland Air aviation academy. His former flight instructor described him as an exceptional student whose rigorous training proved decisive during the emergency.
“I remember he was a top-tier trainee, always leading his cohort. He performed exceptionally well, completed every phase successfully, and then returned to India to advance his career,” said Philip Kean, director of the Mainland Air flight school.
“It was a miracle, considering the aircraft was never designed for such a steep dive. The fact that the airframe held together and did not suffer catastrophic structural failure is remarkable,” Kean added.
Aviation career and regional inquiry
With over 15 years in civil aviation, Machchhar has logged nearly 9,750 flight hours. He entered flight school at age 19 after initially preparing to enter his family’s textile business.
“Aviation was not my childhood ambition. That path emerged much later,” Machchhar explained in an earlier interview. “After graduating, I enrolled in textile engineering to join our family firm, followed by management studies where I first encountered aeronautics.”
Before joining FlyDubai in 2022, Machchhar flew for Indian commercial carrier SpiceJet for more than a decade.
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have launched an official investigation into the incident. The UAE Prosecutor General ordered the creation of a specialized forensic team to reconstruct the cockpit struggle. Because the aircraft is registered in the UAE, Emirati law exercises jurisdiction over offenses committed on board, even outside sovereign airspace.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel may assist in the inquiry, cautioning that it was premature to draw definitive conclusions regarding foreign involvement or terror motives. Following recommendations from the Israeli Security Agency, FlyDubai flights to and from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport were temporarily suspended, alongside enhanced security screenings for inbound air crews.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
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