An Indian expatriate pilot at flydubai has emerged as the central figure in one of the most dramatic aviation security incidents in recent Middle Eastern history, after sustaining injuries during an altercation in the deck of a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Captain Smit Machchhar has been identified as the pilot who was wounded when a dispute broke out on flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30.
US President Donald Trump described Machchhar as a “hero”, stating that even though the pilot was in “very bad shape”, he had the presence of mind to help prevent a major disaster. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India is “proud of him”.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Captain Machchhar “fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker”.
Despite being seriously wounded, Netanyahu said, Captain Machchhar prevented “a catastrophic mid-air disaster.”
“He is a true hero,” Netanyahu wrote on X.
Medical treatment in Saudi Arabia
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah confirmed on Wednesday that Machchhar was injured in the incident and is receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
In a statement posted on X, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said both Indian missions in Saudi Arabia had been following developments related to Captain Machchhar’s medical condition. “He is admitted in a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and receiving necessary medical attention,” it wrote.
The embassy said it was awaiting a detailed update on his health, but initial reports indicated he was stable. “We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest,” the embassy stated. The mission also said it was in touch with Machchhar’s family and assured them it would extend all possible assistance in coordination with Saudi authorities.
Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?
According to his LinkedIn profile, Machchhar has been a flydubai captain since June 2022, joining the Dubai-based carrier as a Direct Entry Captain after more than a decade at SpiceJet in India.
He has over 13 years of commercial flying experience on the Boeing 737 fleet, including extensive service as a line training captain, with approximately 9,750 flying hours.
In a podcast last year, Machchhar spoke at length about his flying career, what happens inside a cockpit, and the importance of treating in-flight staff well. “Most of the time, we are not talking to each other,” he said about the relationship between the captain and the first officer inside the cockpit. “We are constantly monitoring.”
He also said that he makes it a point not to get into a deep discussion with his co-pilot, as this could cause both to focus on the conversation rather than the flight.
Regarding cabin crew, he pointed out that “it is unfortunate how the entire outlook of people is there towards the crew. When things are going wrong, you need them”.
Source: Khaleej Times