Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Narendra Modi of India celebrated Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar on Wednesday after the details of how Flydubai Flight FZ1073 appeared to have thwarted a potential hijacking came to light.
Machchhar was reportedly flying the plane — alongside an unnamed, allegedly Omani copilot — from Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday when his copilot reportedly stabbed him repeatedly and took full control of the plane. Passengers on the plane managed to enter the cockpit, restrain the rogue copilot, and land the plane safely in Saudi Arabia. Eyewitnesses later told reporters and government officials that their intervention was only possible because, at some point during Machchhar’s altercation with his copilot, he managed to unlock the door to the cockpit.
Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, who has been identified as playing a prominent role in subduing the unnamed, allegedly Omani copilot, noted in an interview that he entered the cockpit, “grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold, and pulled him.” The passengers reportedly managed to find among them both someone with flight experience and also a medical professional, who tended to the wounded pilot.
Dentist Musaev Shota reportedly tended to Machchhar. In interviews on Wednesday, Shota described Machchhar as “seriously” injured.
“I was the only doctor on the plane. I managed to stop the bleeding, and the pilot was fairly stable until shortly before landing, when his condition deteriorated somewhat,” he said in an interview, describing Machchhar as being “in very bad shape, with heavy bleeding from his head and hands,” according to India’s NDTV.
“His head and his hands were practically sliced open, almost severed in two,” he said in an interview, noting that Machchhar did appear to remain conscious despite these injuries. “He was in serious condition, not critical perhaps, but serious because of the blood loss.”
“The pilot was talking to us while he was lying there and told us he was 39 and had two children. The attacker stabbed him and cursed him,” Shota recalled.
Machchhar initially received emergency care upon landing in Saudi Arabia, but has since reportedly been airlifted to Abu Dhabi, UAE, for extended medical care. Reports claim he is a resident of Dubai.
Both Netanyahu and Modi, briefed on the developments, hailed Machchhar as a hero.
“My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery,” Netanyahu said in a public statement. “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 midair disaster.”
“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery. He is a true hero,” he concluded.
In a separate interview, Netanyahu on Wednesday credited Machchhar with preventing “a 9/11 disaster.” At press time, authorities have not offered a public explanation for the other pilot’s behavior, nor has any jihadist or other terrorist organization claimed the incident. Israeli authorities have made clear that they are treating the incident as a terrorist attack, however, intended to kill Israelis.
“Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO,” Modi, the Indian prime minister, said in a separate statement on Wednesday. “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 valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy.”
“India is proud of Captain Machchhar. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength, and good health,” he added.
The Emirati newspaper The National unearthed an interview, apparently with Machchhar, last year on a podcast titled Bonafide Banter in which he shared insights into his experience as a pilot and his priorities in flying planes.
“I’ve had a few medical emergencies, also minor issues with the aircraft where I could have continued, but in the interest of safety the best thing was to put the plane on the ground,” he explained in the interview. “As long as you are walking out of the aircraft safely, that’s what I want. Some emergencies were time-critical and things could have gone wrong. One person had shortness of breath — he was given oxygen. We had a birth on board — that was time-critical. As pilots, what we can do is get them professional help as soon as possible.”
The government of the UAE opened a separate investigation into the incident on Thursday, seeking to clarify the motivations of the attacker.
UAE legal investigators discouraged public speculation — noting that initial reports claimed the two copilots were Russian and Ukrainian nationals, among other incorrect rumors — and suggested that authorities had not, as Israel had, definitively concluded that the incident was terroristic in nature.
In Washington, President Donald Trump also weighed in on the incident, describing the unnamed copilot as a potential “whack job” and praised Machchhar as a “hero,” though he did not indicate that he had any more information on the incident than the leaders of the affected countries.
