An armed Hartan of a co‑pilot on a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv was stabbed by his fellow captain, creating a terrifying emergency mid‑air. The attacker, an Omani national, apparently tried to force the aircraft into a controlled crash, prompting an emergency signal and a 7500 squawk signifying a hijacking.
Capt. Smit Machchhar, though lying on the floor and wounded, fought back and crawled toward the cockpit to open the door. He said in a video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside.” “Others came in and also played a role in controlling the situation. I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die.”
Inside the cockpit, passengers and two reserve pilots overpowered the attacker and safely landed the aircraft at Tabuk Airport, Saudi Arabia.
The incident has drawn the attention of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised the bravery of the Indian pilot. Netanyahu said the attacker was possibly driven by “Islamist radical indoctrination,” adding that he was “suicidal”.
The United Arab Emirates is investigating whether the assault was part of a broader terrorist plot. The Indian government praised Capt. Machchhar as “a true hero” and reported his condition as stable after transfer to Abu Dhabi.
Social media across India flooded with commendations for the captain’s courage, and his recovery progress is closely monitored by the Indian Embassy in the UAE, which said he is “in good health and recovering well.”
