Flydubai Flight FZ1073

October 3, 2026 7:29 PM

Dubai Crown Prince visits Captain Smit, applauds his courage

Dubai Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence for the UAE, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, today visited Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot who helped avert a major tragedy after being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Following the visit, Sheikh Hamdan took to X and praised Captain Smit for demonstrating “the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life.” He said Captain Smit had earned the...

October 2, 2026 2:23 PM

‘One last push’: Captain Smit tells PM Modi how he reached cockpit door despite injuries

Captain Smit Machchhar, who helped avert a major tragedy after being attacked by his co-pilot aboard a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that despite suffering severe injuries, he made “one last push” to reach the cockpit door as he could not let the passengers die. Speaking to PM Modi over the phone on Friday, Captain Machchhar recalled the moments after he collapsed on the floor following the attack and said his 17 years of flying experience helped him realise t...

October 2, 2026 12:30 AM

Closely following health condition of Smit Machchhar: MEA

India on Thursday said it is keeping a close tab on the health of Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot hailed for saving a flydubai flight despite being stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to bring down the plane. Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, on Wednesday. He has been shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care and recovery after he received initial medical treatment in ...

October 2, 2026 12:00 AM

‘Very reassured’ to meet Captain Machchhar: Indian envoy to UAE Deepak Mittal

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal on Thursday said he was “very reassured” to meet Captain Smit Machchhar, who is “in good health and recovering well” after sustaining serious injuries while foiling an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Flydubai flight. Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, on Wednesday. The plane carrying 174 people was forced to make an emergency landin...

October 1, 2026 3:42 PM

Israeli leaders hail Indian pilot as ‘true hero’ for foiling flydubai crash attempt

Israeli leaders have hailed Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, as a "hero" for thwarting an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash a flydubai flight carrying nearly 180 people, and wished him a speedy recovery. Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, on Wednesday. "Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and c...

October 1, 2026 2:33 PM

‘India is proud’: BJP leaders hail pilot Smit Machchhar, wish him speedy recovery

Several BJP leaders, including Union minister Rajnath Singh and party chief Nitin Nabin, on Thursday lauded Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for his courage in averting disaster by fighting off his co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash the flydubai aircraft carrying 174 passengers. flydubai flight FZ1073, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, transmitted emergency signals on Wednesday and made a sharp descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airpo...

October 1, 2026 1:04 PM

Neighbours in Mumbai fondly recall hero pilot Smit Machchhar, pray for his speedy recovery

Neighbours of the Mumbai-based family of Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar said on Thursday that they were proud of him and were praying for his speedy recovery. Captain Machchhar has been hailed as a hero for fighting off a co-pilot who allegedly tried to crash a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, drawing global attention and praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu. He used to live with his parents at Swastik Heights in the Ghatkopar area...