Capt. Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot of a FlyDubai flight, recounted being stabbed by his co-pilot midair between Dubai and Tel Israel. Despite grievous injuries, he opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 plummeted over 16,000 feet in 30 seconds during the incident. Machchhar said he acted to prevent a crash and save lives, stating, “I couldn’t let all of them die.” Two passengers with flying experience helped land the plane in Saudi Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination,” though motives remain unclear.
Machchhar, hospitalized in Saudi Arabia and later transferred to the United Arab Emirates, received praise from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called him a hero. The attack occurred on a flight carrying about 170 passengers. Machchhar, who has 17 years of flying experience, described the moment he pushed open the door as his “last push” to survive and protect others.
The incident has made him a national hero in India.
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