Indian pilot Captain Smit (X/@almog_cohen08)
New Delhi: A plane flying in the sky, suddenly attacked with a knife in the cockpit, and a dangerous fall of 14,000 feet in just 30 seconds. This is not a scene from a movie, but the incident that happened in reality on Flydubai flight FZ1073, which pulled the lives of more than 170 passengers back from the jaws of death. And the hero of this entire operation was Indian-origin pilot Captain Smit, whose bravery is now being praised from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to US President Donald Trump.
The entire incident took place inside the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, where a sudden violent clash broke out between the captain and the co-pilot. According to Israeli officials, the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife, after which the plane suddenly began to lose altitude. An Israeli official said the co-pilot was an Oman national who tried to take control of the plane. According to flight tracking data, the plane descended about 14,000 feet within just 30 seconds, putting the lives of everyone on board in danger.
As the plane began to descend rapidly, the passengers heard a scream coming from the cockpit and immediately rushed in that direction. According to Netanyahu, the plane went into a complete tailspin and was going downward at a very high speed. At the same time, some passengers and a crew member entered the cockpit and saw that the co-pilot was deliberately trying to sabotage the plane's system.
After returning to Israel, passenger Yaniv told Netanyahu the whole incident in detail. According to him, the seriously injured Indian captain somehow opened the cockpit door just before the fall, so that the passengers could go inside and control the attacker. Yaniv said that the accused was trying to break the control system to completely control the plane. The other pilots on board took command, stabilised the aircraft and finally landed safely in the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.
After this courageous incident, Netanyahu wrote on X that he saluted the extraordinary bravery of the captain. According to him, despite being seriously injured, the captain kept fighting, due to which the lives of 174 people on board the plane were saved, including Israeli citizens as well as passengers from many other countries. He also wished the captain a speedy recovery.
Israel's ambassador to India also described Captain as an experienced and capable hero. According to him, the courage of the captain, as well as other Israeli and Emirati passengers and crew, together saved the lives of 180 people. The Indian government also saluted the captain for this courageous act, while the Israeli Foreign Ministry described it as an example where people from different countries showed equal courage.
The Israel Airline Pilots Association also thanked Captain Smit and the entire flight crew and described them as brave for saving the lives of passengers. Israeli politician and former police officer Almog Cohen described Captain Machhar as "the hero of today's Israel" and said that he helped save the lives of about 200 people by opening the cockpit door with his wisdom.
Cohen also announced that he would introduce a bill in Israel's parliament, the Knesset, to name a lounge at Ben Gurion Airport in honor of the Captain. He also conveyed his best wishes to the Captain's family and parents and said that his parents have taught him that saving human lives is the greatest value.
US President Donald Trump, recalling his conversation with Netanyahu, said the pilot was in a "very serious condition", but he acted wisely and in a way proved to be a true hero. According to Trump, the pilot opened the door, fell backwards, but still kept screaming for help. Regarding the co-pilot, Trump said that it appears that he was either a terrorist or a mentally unstable person who attacked the pilot with a knife.
Captain Smit Machhar of Gujarati origin has more than ten years of experience in commercial aviation. He joined Flydubai in June 2022 as a Direct Entry Captain, before that he served with SpiceJet for nearly 11 years from June 2011 to 2022. They are considered experts on the Boeing 737 and always take full care of safety regulations. Apart from this, he has also been giving guidance to other pilots. He has completed his business administration from Welingkar Institute of Management.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah are constantly monitoring the captain's health. He is currently admitted to the hospital in Tabuk and is undergoing treatment. According to the embassy, his condition is said to be stable, although further details are awaited. The embassy is also in constant touch with the captain's family and is coordinating closely with the Saudi authorities.
After this whole incident, Flydubai has said in a statement that all its flights to and from Israel have been stopped until the investigation is completed. The company says it is in constant contact with government officials, regulators, and airport stakeholders, and will continue to review the ban as new information emerges.
Copyright © 2026 Top Indian News
