The commercial airline captain who was stabbed during the mid-air terror attempt aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073 has been identified as Indian national Smit Machchhar, according to reports in Indian and international media outlets. Machchhar, an experienced aviator boasting nearly 10,000 flight hours, sustained multiple injuries during the violent cockpit confrontation and was evacuated for emergency medical treatment following the aircraft’s unscheduled landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
According to incoming reports and flight debriefs, Captain Machchhar engaged in a desperate hand-to-hand struggle against the terrorist, who was serving as his first officer, after the co-pilot launched a sudden knife attack inside the cockpit to seize control of the aircraft and sabotage primary flight systems. Despite suffering multiple stab wounds, Machchhar managed to resist the assailant long enough to broadcast emergency alerts and notify the cabin crew and passengers of the mortal threat.
The captain’s resistance provided vital seconds for cabin crew and courageous Israeli travelers to mobilize and forcefully breach the flight deck. Photographic and video documentation following the incident showed Captain Machchhar bloodied and wounded in the aftermath of the assault. At the same time, two off-duty pilots aboard the airliner took command of the controls, stabilized the aircraft, and executed an emergency diversion to Tabuk Regional Airport.
The hijacking attempt occurred aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073, which had departed Dubai International Airport en route to Tel Aviv carrying 160 passengers, the overwhelming majority of whom were Israeli citizens. The emergency forced an immediate route deviation, sparking high-level security scrambles across the region.
International and domestic intelligence agencies continue to probe the attacker’s operational background, motives, and organizational affiliations across multiple jurisdictions. In Israel, the comprehensive inquiry led by the Mossad and Shin Bet is progressing rapidly, following the safe landing of the flydubai relief extraction flight carrying the Israeli passengers at Ben Gurion Airport earlier this evening.