On September 30, 2026, a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted after an altercation between the captain and a co‑pilot. The Indian captain, Smit Machchhar, was stabbed and seriously injured.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar as a “true hero,” saying he fought back, opened the cockpit door, and helped passengers and crew subdue the attacker, preventing a mid‑air disaster.
The incident involved an Omani co‑pilot suspected of attempting to crash the aircraft. Passengers and crew, including Israeli nationals, helped restrain the attacker after the captain’s resistance. The flight, carrying 174 passengers and 27 children, transmitted emergency signals and descended to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Tabuk.
Machchhar, a Mumbai native, has more than 13 years of commercial flying experience and over 9,500 flight hours, including 6,400 as pilot in command on the Boeing 737. He worked for SpiceJet for 11 years before becoming a flydubai captain in June 2022.
