Indian captain Smit Machchhar identified as pilot stabbed on flydubai flight: Sources
Indian national Smit Machchhar has been identified as the flydubai captain who was stabbed during Wednesday's incident aboard flight FZ1073, which was diverted from its Dubai-Tel Aviv route to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, sources told India Today.
Machchhar, who is of Gujarati origin, joined flydubai as a direct-entry captain in June 2022. Before that, he spent nearly 11 years with SpiceJet, working there from June 2011 until 2022.
He is a Boeing 737 fleet specialist with expertise in safety and compliance and has also mentored other pilots, according to the sources. Machchhar holds a Business Administration degree from Welingkar Institute of Management.
The Flydubai aircraft was diverted to Tabuk after an in-flight confrontation involving the pilots. Both pilots were injured and taken to hospital following the incident.
According to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the co-pilot tried to crash the aircraft after stabbing the captain. Passengers and other pilots on board then intervened and helped bring the plane under control before it landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu described the incident as a "highly severe security incident" and said Saudi authorities would question the co-pilot, who was arrested after the aircraft landed. An Israeli official identified the attacker as an Omani national.
"All passengers are out of harm's way," Netanyahu said in a video statement released by his office, adding that most of those on board were Israeli.
Netanyahu said passengers and a crew member forced their way into the cockpit after the aircraft "entered a tailspin and began to dive". They found the co-pilot trying to interfere with the aircraft's systems.
"They saved many lives. They prevented a heavy disaster," he said.PLANE PLUNGED THOUSANDS OF FEET
The incident unfolded after the aircraft transmitted emergency signals during the flight. According to flight-tracking data, the plane appeared to descend rapidly by nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds before the first emergency signal was transmitted.
The flight eventually landed at Tabuk Airport, where both pilots were taken to hospital and passengers received assistance.
However, officials initially gave differing assessments of what had happened. Around the time of the landing, Doron Spielman, a spokesperson for Netanyahu's office, told Reuters that the incident was not believed to be a hijacking and described it as a “different incident”.
Israeli officials later said their assessment was that the episode was an attempted "terror attack". They also said there was no indication at that stage that the incident was linked to a mental health issue involving either pilot.
The investigation is continuing as authorities examine what happened inside the cockpit, how the confrontation began and how the aircraft was brought safely to the ground.- Ends
Amit Bhardwaj is among the “politics-election buff” journalists redefining how news connects with a younger audience. Currently an Associate Editor at India Today, he has built a reputation for incisive on-ground reporting right from centre of politics - the Indian Parliament, to the machine of politics- high-stakes Indian elections and to civil aviation sector.
In the last eleven years, he has tracked India through a dozen state elections and consistently reported from the heart of India’s political churn, with a strong focus on the evolving dynamics of the opposition- INDIA bloc. He also tracks Aam Aadmi Party and Telugu Desam Party.
Known for blending easygoing storytelling with factual reportage, Amit Bhardwaj has delivered consistently from mines to skies. He has covered the rescue operations and rat miners in Joshimath. He extensively covered the tragic Air India 171 Ahmedabad crash in June 2025. His work on airline disruptions including the Indigo 2025 crisis, regulatory crackdowns, and aviation safety has added a distinct edge to his political reporting portfolio.
Amit was amongst few India journalists to witness Nepal's GenZ revolution firsthand as it was unfolding on the streets of Kathmandu. His documentary "Joshimath: A Cry For Help" was awarded ENBA Gold for Best In-depth Series.
Before joining India Today, he honed his craft at Newslaundry and Tehelka- in its prime, it was a thing- and has also contributed long-form pieces to The Caravan.
A distinct voice with a cheerfully incisive tone on the popular podcast Reporters Off Air, Bhardwaj brings insider perspectives and futuristic predictions .
Amit hails from Jharkhand, and often greets others with Jai Johar!
