Who is Captain Smit Machchhar? The Indian pilot who fended off a mid-air cockpit attack and saved flydubai flight
Captain Smit Machchhar has more than 9,750 hours of flying experience and has operated Boeing 737 aircraft. He joined flydubai in 2022 after spending 11 years with SpiceJet, where he also trained other pilots.
by Zee Media Bureau, Tarique Anwar · Zee NewsNew Delhi: An Indian-origin pilot was at the controls of a flydubai flight when a violent confrontation broke out inside the cockpit at more than 30,000 feet, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (September 30).
The man has been identified as Smit Machar. He was reportedly attacked with a knife by his Omani co-pilot at Flight FZ1073, which was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv with around 180 people on board. The aircraft later landed safely at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Saudi airport authorities confirmed that both pilots were injured and taken to hospital.
The incident happened while the Boeing 737 MAX was flying at around 34,000 feet. Flight-tracking data showed a steep descent during the crisis. Reuters said that the aircraft dropped by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds after the cockpit incident. Other flight-tracking data put the total descent at around 17,400 feet over roughly two minutes during the incident.
The aircraft transmitted emergency signals during the incident. It first used the 7700 code for a general emergency and later transmitted 7500, the code used for unlawful interference. The aircraft eventually turned towards Saudi Arabia and landed at Tabuk.
Who is Smit Machar?
He has been a flydubai captain since June 2022. Before joining the Dubai-based airline, he spent around 11 years with SpiceJet in India.
He worked as a pilot-in-command at SpiceJet and had logged more than 6,400 flying hours with the airline. He later served as a line training captain, where he was involved in training other pilots.
Machar joined flydubai as a direct-entry captain. This route allows experienced pilots from other airlines to join directly in a captain's role. His experience includes Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 aircraft, with around 9,750 hours of total flying experience.
He also holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Welingkar Institute of Management.
What happened in the cockpit?
According to reports, the emergency began with a violent confrontation between the two pilots. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged the co-pilot attacked the captain with a knife and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
He claimed a passenger told him that the aircraft began rapidly descending. A passenger then managed to get into the cockpit, where passengers and crew members helped restrain the pilot involved in the attack.
Reuters reported that the co-pilot allegedly tried to sabotage the aircraft's systems before passengers and a crew member intervened.
Israeli media reported that passengers heard screams in the cabin and saw blood in the cockpit. One passenger said people sitting near the front realised that something serious had happened after hearing the noise. Passengers and crew members then helped control the situation as the aircraft began a sharp descent.
Saudi airport authorities later confirmed that the captain and first officer were injured. Both were taken to hospital after the aircraft landed at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk at 9:45 a.m. local time. Passengers were assisted at the terminal while arrangements were made for a replacement aircraft.
How the flight ended up in Saudi Arabia
Flight FZ1073 had left Dubai for Tel Aviv and reached cruising altitude before the trouble began. Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft dropping rapidly from around 34,000 feet. It then stabilised at a lower altitude before turning towards Tabuk.
The use of the 7500 code briefly led to fears that the aircraft had been hijacked. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled as authorities worked to establish what was happening aboard the plane. The aircraft later transmitted another 7700 emergency signal before landing in Tabuk.
Flydubai confirmed that Flight FZ1073 had "experienced an incident while en route" and landed safely in Tabuk. The airline said that its teams were working with the relevant authorities and that further updates would follow as confirmed information became available.
The incident is being investigated by the authorities. Israeli officials have also described the co-pilot's actions as an attempted effort to crash the aircraft, while investigations continue into what led to the confrontation in the cockpit.
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