The flydubai hero who thwarted an alleged sabotage attempt by his co-pilot during a mid-air cockpit clash has been identified as Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian aviator.

Captain Machchhar fought off the co-pilot who allegedly tried to sabotage the plane’s systems, saving the lives of as many as 180 passengers on board the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.

Stabbed during the clash, he was left bloodied and struggling to speak, as visuals showed passengers praising him as a hero.

The confrontation sparked brief hijacking fears earlier today but it was soon ruled out, with some fellow pilots taking over the cockpit and securing a safe landing to a diverted location in Saudi Arabia.

Who is Captain Machchhar?

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen, had been working with flydubai, a low-cost carrier owned by the Emirati government, for four years. He had worked for SpiceJet for 10 years prior to that.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Captain Machchhar has over 13 years of commercial flying experience on the Boeing 737 fleet. He served as a line training captain extensively and has over 9,750 hours of flying hours.

Captain Machchhar joined SpiceJet in 2011 and had served in several roles at the economical airline, including as a line training captain and a senior commander. In June 2022, he quit SpiceJet and joined flydubai as direct entry captain.

What Happened On Flight FZ 1073

Flight FZ 1073 was heading to Tel Aviv from Dubai when a violent confrontation erupted in its cockpit. While cruising mid-air, one of the pilots tried to sabotage the plane’s system, stated Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement.

Captain Machchhar tried to fight off the pilot but was stabbed during the confrontation. Visuals showed him lying on the floor, with blood all over his face and hands.

Eventually, a crew member and a passenger broke into the cockpit and “neutralised” the suspect, Israeli authorities said, as it probes a terror angle in the incident.