At 34,000 feet, an Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, stood between 180 people and catastrophe on 30th September 2026, as a religious extremist Omani first officer attacked him with an axe in a bid to eventually crash the Flydubai flight FZ1073 with 174, mostly Israeli passengers aboard. As the heroic Indian pilot undergoes treatment, the world lauds his extraordinary courage.
Israeli PM Netanyahu hails Smit Machchhar as a hero
Hours after the Indian pilot helped avert a 9/11-style catastrophe, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary courage and prayed for his speedy recovery.
“My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery. Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery. He is a true hero,” PM Netanyahu wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar, said, “He should be praised. Not only our leader, our prime minister, but also our president and the head of the Israeli parliament and the entire people of Israel are admiring the fact that Captain Smit Machchhar used all his experience and his character to really do what was needed to do, because if he hadn’t opened the door, the plane could have crashed.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says ‘India is proud of Captain Machchhar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on behalf of the Indian people when he said that India is proud of Captain Smit Machchhar.
“Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. Praying for his speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health, PM Modi posted on X on 1st October.
Later in the day, during his speech at the UPSC centenary celebration in New Delhi, PM Modi said, “In the incident that occurred yesterday, Captain Smit of India demonstrated remarkable patience, presence of mind, and courage; indeed, as the Prime Minister of Israel stated today, an Indian prevented a 9/11-style tragedy. 140 crore Indians salute Captain Smit and are praying for his well-being.”
Captain Smit Machchhar has shown the world the highest form of courage.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2026
Without fearing for his own life, he fought valiantly and prevented another 9/11 like attack from happening.
140 crore Indians salute Captain Smit and are praying for his well-being. pic.twitter.com/YGTA9CFCAg
Meanwhile, the government in Captain Machchhar’s home state, Gujarat, has announced that Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar will be given the ‘Vishisht Gujarat Garima Award’.
Israeli Knesset Speaking saying people of Israel are praying for Captain Machchhar
Amir Ohana, the Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, said that the people of Israel are praying for Machchhar’s quick recovery.
“The people of Israel are praying for Captain Smit Machchhar, the brave Indian pilot who fought off his co-pilot’s mid-air attack to save the Israeli passengers aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. In a moment of terror, he showed extraordinary courage. Today, our hearts are with him and his family,” Ohana said.
The people of Israel are praying for Captain Smit Machchhar, the brave Indian pilot who fought off his co-pilot’s mid-air attack to save the Israeli passengers aboard flydubai flight FZ1073.
— Amir Ohana – אמיר אוחנה (@AmirOhana) September 30, 2026
In a moment of terror, he showed extraordinary courage. Today, our hearts are with him… pic.twitter.com/uDZXmchL0k
US President Donald Trump hails Captain Machchhar’s courage and presence of mind
Speaking to reporters at the White House on 30th September, after a call with Israeli PM Netanyahu, Trump called Captain Smit Machchhar a “hero”. He said that Machchhar was “in very bad shape” but “had the sense to…open the door and scream” for help and described the co-pilot as “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job.”
"The brave Indian pilot is in very bad shape, but he had the sense to, amazing, to, in a way he was a HERO": Donald Trump praises Indian pilot Smit Machchhar. He also praised the Israeli passenger who overpowered the terrorist. pic.twitter.com/0NgBRnq6ea
— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) October 1, 2026
Aviation experts call Captain Machchhar’s opening of the cockpit door while wounded a “very brave thing”
The Aviation and industry experts have analysed and appreciated Captain Machchhar’s actions under extreme wounds.
Ajay Singh, the chairman of Machchhar’s former employer said that unlocking the door would definitely have required “real courage”. Singh noted that the handle that opens the cockpit door is on the co-pilot’s side. In that case, a stabbed captain would have had to reach across toward the attacker to unlatch it.
Singh added that a code entered from outside does not open a modern reinforced door and that the pilot still has to physically unlock it. He added that by unlocking the door in time, Machchhar essentially saved dozens of lives.
“I was incredibly proud. The job of a pilot is to save the lives entrusted to him. He did a tremendous job in saving lives. All of SpiceJet is proud of him, and all of India is proud of him. The handle that opens the cockpit door is actually on the co-pilot’s side. It would have needed real courage after being stabbed to reach out to the co-pilot’s side and open the door,” he said.
#WATCH | Nagoya, Japan | "The handle that opens the cockpit door is actually on the co-pilot's side. It would have needed real courage after being stabbed to reach out to the co-pilot's side and open the door," says Ajay Singh, CMD, SpiceJet, as he explains what might have been… pic.twitter.com/2IL0u8spCK
— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2026
Meanwhile, Captain C.S. Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, called it “a very brave thing” and “a very good job.”
Kashi Vishwanath and Somnath Temple offer special prayers for Captain Smit Machchhar
As Captain Smit Machchhar is undergoing treatment, the priests at the historic Somnath Temple in Gujarat performed the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra Japa ritual to pray for the wounded captain’s speedy recovery.
“For the pride of the nation, brave pilot Smit Machhar, a special grand worship was performed at the first Jyotirlinga, Shri Somnath, for his excellent health and long life. During the flight to Tel Aviv, displaying indomitable courage, wisdom, and unparalleled dedication to duty, he foiled a cruel conspiracy like 9/11 and saved 180 precious lives. For the Indian pilot Smit Machhar, a special grand worship of Shri Somnath Mahadev was performed, and the continuous ‘Mahamrityunjaya Mantra Japa Ritual’ has been initiated. May Lord Shiva, with His special grace, swiftly restore this brave young man to complete health. Jai Hind!” Somnath Temple administration stated.
राष्ट्र के गौरव, वीर पायलट स्मित मच्छर के उत्तम स्वास्थ्य एवं दीर्घायु के लिए प्रथम ज्योतिर्लिंग श्री सोमनाथ में विशेष महापूजा 🔱🇮🇳
— Shree Somnath Temple (@Somnath_Temple) October 1, 2026
तेल-अवीव की उड़ान के दौरान अदम्य साहस, सूझबूझ और अद्वितीय कर्तव्यनिष्ठा का परिचय देते हुए 9/11 जैसे क्रूर षड़यंत्र को नाकाम कर 180 अनमोल जिंदगियों… https://t.co/Kcts3cxHmM pic.twitter.com/rASF3ILsoC
Similarly, special prayers were offered at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple for the health and long life of Captain Smit Machchhar.
#WATCH | Special prayers were offered at Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple for the health and long life of Flydubai ‘Hero’ Captain Smit Machchhar.
— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2026
(Source: Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple) pic.twitter.com/dvWF4z4faE
Yaniv Hayoun: The Flydubai passenger thanks Captain Machchhar
Speaking to India Today, Yaniv Hayoun, an Israeli national and a passenger who got injured during a confrontation with the Omani Muslim attacker, thanked Captain Machchhar.
“I want to tell him (Captain Smit Machchhar), thank you. If we could not have entered the cockpit, all the passengers, including my family, would have died,” he said.
“I want to tell him (Captain Smit Machchhar), thank you. If we could not have entered the cockpit, all the passengers, including my family, would have died,” Yaniv Hayun #ITVideo #SmitMachchhar #YanivHayun #Israel #Dubai #TelAviv #Tabuk | @Sriya_Kundu pic.twitter.com/GrPNZdyP9u
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) October 1, 2026
Israeli national thanks Captain Machhar for saving lives of her countrymen
In a viral video message, an Israeli national, Einav Avizemer, thanked Captain Machchhar and India for saving the lives of dozens of Israelis and other nationals.
Thank you Captain Smit Machchhar & Thank you India 🇮🇳♥️🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/vCtXz5MLlP
— Einav Avizemer | עינב אביזמר (@EinavAvizemer) September 30, 2026
Smit Machchhar: The Indian pilot who emerged as a savior
Captain Smit Machchhar is an experienced Indian aviator and former SpiceJet pilot. Machchhar has more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and approximately 9,750 hours of flying experience, primarily on Boeing 737 aircraft. More than 6,400 of those hours were accumulated as a pilot in command.
Before joining flydubai, Machchhar spent around 11 years with SpiceJet in India.
Smit Machchhar eventually became a senior commander and later a Line Training Captain, meaning that he was entrusted with training and checking other pilots. In June 2022, he joined flydubai as a direct-entry captain.
At around 6:49-7:05 am on 30th September 2026, the Flydubai FZ1073 flight departed the International Airport and climbed toward cruise altitude near 34,000 feet.
Hardly two hours in, as the aircraft approached Israeli airspace, the cockpit erupted.
According to the information given by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli officials, and passenger accounts, the Omani co-pilot stabbed the Indian captain repeatedly with the emergency axe, injuring his head and hands. The Omani Muslim pilot then moved to the controls in an apparent attempt to disable instruments or force a crash.
The Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, bleeding profusely and lying on the cockpit floor in a pool of his own blood, managed to release the cockpit door lock before losing consciousness.
Due to this, passengers and crew forced the door, subdued the Omani pilot, and two off-duty pilots who were travelling as passengers took the controls. The Flydubai aircraft’s rudder showed damage.
At around 9:45 am local time, the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk’s Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Saudi Arabia after a distress call received at 8:44 am.
Smit Machchhar was joined by a dentist, Dr Shota Musaev, a plumber, Yaniv Hayoun, and the crew in saving over 170 lives on the Flydubai flight.
