Who is Smit Machchhar? The hero Flydubai pilot who helped avert 'Israel's 9/11'

A heroic pilot has been praised after saving his aircraft from a catastrophic mid-flight suspected hijacking attempt.

Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot on a Tel Aviv-bound airliner in the early hours of Wednesday.

The attacker - understood to be an Omani citizen - then took control of the Flydubai flight in the suspected terror attack plot.

But his plans were thwarted as Captain Machchhar managed to resist and opened the cockpit door to alert passengers and crew.

At the time, the plane was carrying at least 150 people - the majority believed to be Israeli.

Crew members and passengers were then able to overpower the attacker before the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

One of those passengers was Yaniv Hayun, an Israeli national, who said he was able to grab the suspected terrorist and put him in a hold.

“I grabbed the attacker, put him in a chokehold, and pulled him - first and foremost - outside,” Mr Hayun told reporters on Wednesday evening.

“We pulled him out; it was a matter of seconds. I called out to the Israeli guys with us on the plane. I called them, and the two other guys came over to me…we pinned [the attacker] down to keep him secure.”

Footage shared on social media shows both the pilots and passengers covered in blood. In one video, a passenger tells the camera that the flight “needs help.”

“We just subdued the terrorist,” he said, with his face dripping in blood. “All passengers are safe and well - except for the pilot.”

Captain Machchhar was later pictured covered in blood as he was transported to hospital wearing an oxygen mask. He is believed to be in a stable condition.

Both the pilot and the passenger have been praised by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India.

“Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, [Captain Machchhar] fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic midair disaster,” Mr. Netanyahu said.

The Israeli Prime Minister also compared the attempted hijacking to the atrocities of 9/11.

"Those pilots managed to prevent a 9/11 disaster, because that's what it looks like was happening," Mr Netanyahu said.

A plane carrying passengers from the Flydubai flight lands at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel

Getty

Mr Netanyahu met Mr Hayun on Wednesday evening, hugging the passenger and hailing him “a lion” and “a great hero.”

Mr Modi said on X, that Captain Machchhar “helped to save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy.”

“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,” Mr Modi said.

US President Donald Trump also hailed Cpt Machchhar a “hero” as he told reporters in the Oval Office that the co-pilot was “perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack-job.”

Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?

Captain Smit Machchhar

Israel Foreign Ministry

Cpt Machchhar is a 39-year-old pilot from the Indian city of Mumbai, who has worked for Flydubai since 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The Indian national’s profile lists 13 years of aviation experience, including a decade at India’s SpiceJet.

In a podcast last year, the pilot told host Zalak Mehta that he had planned to join his family’s textile business, but came across an aviation seminar during his management degree.

“That is where the aviation bug bit me,” he said.

Cpt Machchhar added that his mother had at first been reluctant to support his career choice, because she was scared of his career prospects and “of course, the flying bit.”

He has been credited with training and mentoring young pilots, logging more than 9,500 flying hours, including over 6,400 as pilot-in-command.

Who is Captain Machchhar’s family?

Little is known about Captain Machchhar’s family and no public statement has been made.

Speaking on the podcast last year, he said he kept his professional life and private life separate.

“When you walk out of the cockpit, that’s it. Stop thinking about that. Someone else needs you now,” he said.

However, he did mention that he has children on the podcast.

What is Smit Machchhar’s condition?

Cpt Machchhar suffered several stab wounds to his neck and hands before he was able to unlock the cockpit door to allow passengers and crew members to intervene.

Israeli media reports say that passengers were also able to treat Cpt Machchhar and save his life.

One dentist is believed to have administered emergency treatment, stabilising Cpt Machchhar’s blood pressure and stopping the bleeding.

The dentist told the Times of Israel, “When I came into the cockpit, the pilot was in really bad shape, with heavy bleeding, particularly from his head.

“I was the only doctor on the plane, and eventually I managed to stop the bleeding and stabilise his blood pressure.”

It is now understood that Captain Machchhar is in a stable condition.

What have passengers said?

Several passengers have come forward to speak about the suspected hijacking attempt.

After landing in Israel on Wednesday evening, Asaf Rajuan told reporters that he and five other passengers “acted on instinct” to help restrain the attacker.

“We neutralised him very quickly,” he said.

Israeli passenger Asaf Rajuan speaks to reporters after landing in Israel

AFP/Getty

Passengers arrive in Israel after the attempted hijacking

Getty

Footage shared on social media shows passengers cheering as the plane lands, with many singing “Am Yisrael Chai” - an Israeli solidarity chant.

Another passenger, Lital Sachar, a mother travelling alone with her two daughters, said she thought she would not survive.

“It was scary as hell,” she said in a post on social media.

“There were amazing Israeli men and women on the flight and we survived because of them!”

The co-pilot has since been arrested and is being questioned by Saudi authorities.

What’s the UK reaction?

Andy Burnham is yet to comment on the suspected hijacking on Wednesday. However, Treasury Minister James Murray signalled that the government would be looking at how to keep Britons safe on flights.

Speaking to Sky News, Mr Murray said: I know that my colleagues in the Foreign Office, in the Department of Transport, they’ll be looking at this to make sure that we’re keeping people in Britain safe.”

He added: “When I saw the reports coming about it yesterday, the vividness of what was described, I think, is really chilling.

“But then the bravery of the people who got involved – I mean, it’s quite hard to imagine on a personal level, but I think the bravery, we all salute people who step up in those situations to try and do the right thing, and how incredible.“The facts will come become clearer over time, and I know the Israeli authorities are saying they just want to be clear about what exactly happened. But on the face of it, what an incredible thing for people to have done.”