Indian Pilot Praised After Saving Passengers During Mid-Air Emergency

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar is being praised after helping prevent a serious disaster aboard a flydubai flight carrying 174 people.

Machchhar was flying the Boeing 737 when, according to Israeli officials, his co-pilot attacked him during the flight and attempted to take control of the aircraft.

Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar managed to activate the cockpit door release. This allowed passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit and overpower the co-pilot.

Two pilots who were travelling as passengers then helped land the aircraft. The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where Machchhar was taken to hospital for treatment.

The incident has drawn widespread attention in India, where Machchhar has been praised for his actions during the emergency. Israeli officials have also described him as a hero.

Machchhar, who is from Mumbai, did not originally plan to become a pilot. He studied textile engineering with the intention of continuing his family’s business before discovering aviation at the age of 19.

He later trained in New Zealand and spent more than a decade flying for India’s SpiceJet before joining flydubai in 2022. Reuters reported that he has accumulated nearly 9,750 hours of flying experience during a career of around 15 years.

In an earlier interview, Machchhar described his approach to flying as putting passenger safety first. He said his goal was to make sure people walked away safely from the aircraft.

The incident has highlighted not only the importance of pilots’ training and experience, but also the actions of passengers and crew members who responded quickly during an unexpected emergency.

Source: Reuters, October 1, 2026