Who Is Capt Smit Machchhar? Indian-Origin Pilot Emerges As Hero Of Flydubai Mid-Air Emergency

Capt. Smit Machchhar, an Indian-origin commercial pilot associated with flydubai, has emerged at the centre of attention after a reported violent confrontation inside the cockpit of a flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The flydubai Boeing 737, operating as flight FZ1073, was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday following the incident and eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport. Israeli media reports said the confrontation involved one pilot allegedly attacking the other, prompting passengers and off-duty pilots travelling on the aircraft to intervene.

According to reports by Israeli outlets Ynet News and Channel 12, Machchhar was the captain involved in the confrontation. Ynet described the captain as an Indian national. However, flydubai has not publicly confirmed the identities or nationalities of the pilots involved, and details of the incident remain under investigation.

Who is Smit Machchhar?

According to his LinkedIn profile, Machchhar is an airline captain with more than 13 years of commercial flying experience, primarily on Boeing 737 aircraft. His profile states that he is currently a Direct Entry Captain at flydubai, where he has been flying since June 2022.

Machchhar's profile lists nearly 9,750 hours of flying experience, including experience on the Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737 MAX. Before joining flydubai, he spent more than 11 years with SpiceJet in India.

He joined SpiceJet in June 2011 and served as a Senior Commander and Line Training Captain. His LinkedIn profile says he had accumulated more than 9,500 flying hours during his time with the airline, including over 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command.

From November 2020 to June 2022, Machchhar worked as a Line Training Captain at SpiceJet, where he was responsible for training, checking and mentoring pilots while ensuring compliance with standard operating procedures and safety requirements.

His profile also highlights expertise in Crew Resource Management, flight standards, pilot mentoring and operating Boeing 737 NG and MAX aircraft.

What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073?

The incident reportedly unfolded while the aircraft was flying towards Tel Aviv. Passengers reportedly heard shouting and screams coming from the cockpit, with one passenger subsequently seeing blood inside the cockpit.

According to an account cited by AFP, passengers were told that one pilot had allegedly attacked the other with a knife. Passengers then reportedly rushed towards the cockpit and helped restrain the attacker. Other pilots travelling on the aircraft also assisted in managing the emergency.

Flight-tracking data indicated that the aircraft briefly lost altitude and transmitted emergency codes, including 7700 and 7500. The latter is associated internationally with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking situation.

Israeli authorities reportedly responded by scrambling fighter jets as the aircraft diverted towards Saudi Arabia.

Both pilots were taken to hospital after the aircraft landed at Tabuk. Reports said the captain had sustained serious injuries.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the cockpit confrontation, including whether it constituted an attempted attack or another form of unlawful interference.