In brief
An Indian pilot on a Flydubai flight to Israel was attacked by his co‑pilot during the journey. Captain Smit "Machchhar" refused to flee, physically blocking the assailant and allowing passengers to overpower him. The aircraft diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia, with no injuries. The incident was highlighted by a call from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the wounded captain.
Video: Watch the pilot’s story
Captain Smit Machchhar – an Indian co‑pilot on a Flydubai flight bound for Israel – was attacked by a fellow crew member midway through the journey. He felt he could not let the entire cabin fall victim to the assailant’s violence and fought back.
Miraculously, he opened the cockpit door, letting the passengers in, who then overpowered the attacker. The plane, which had already departed from Dubai, diverted and landed safely in Saudi Arabia. All on board survived.
In a testament to the human capacity for bravery, Captain Machchhar received a call from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking to him from a hospital bed while he recovered from the attack’s injuries.
For more details, read the full BBC article here: Flydubai co‑pilot attack story.
