Captain Smit Machchhar: The ‘hero’ India pilot who was stabbed on Israel-bound flight

Flydubai’s flight FZ1073 took off from Dubai International Airport within the United Arab Emirates at 03:05 GMT (07:05 native time) en path to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel.

The flight was carrying not less than 150 individuals, with Netanyahu saying “virtually all” passengers had been Israeli.

The Israeli prime minister later wrote on X that Machchhar had “saved the lives of 174 individuals” and prevented “a catastrophic mid-air catastrophe”.

Data from flight monitoring web site Flightradar24 reveals the aircraft made a fast descent over Saudi Arabia round two and a half hours after take-off, dropping greater than 17,000ft (5,000m) in lower than two minutes at round 05:21.

Minutes later, the aircraft signalled an emergency code – squawk 7700 – earlier than switching it to a squawk 7500 code, which signifies a hijacking.

At 05:40, the aircraft – which had briefly entered Jordanian airspace – looped again into Saudi Arabia, the place it later began its handbook descent for touchdown.

Less than an hour later, the aircraft returned to squawk 7700.

Initial native media stories cited Israeli officers as saying a struggle had damaged out between two pilots.

But talking on Wednesday after the incident, Netanyahu confirmed later stories that one pilot had stabbed the opposite earlier than “apparently making an attempt to crash” the aircraft.

He stated an Israeli passenger informed him “the aircraft went right into a spin and commenced to descend” earlier than the passenger and a crew member broke into the cockpit and overpowered the “pilot who had carried out the stabbing”.

The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk Airport in north-western Saudi Arabia and touched down at 06:58, based on location information.

The stabbed pilot, who has since been airlifted to Abu Dhabi, was later recognized as Machchhar. The Indian embassy within the United Arab Emirates stated he was “in good well being and recovering nicely”.

In his name with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar stated he had been flying planes for 17 years and “can inform what is going on to the aircraft even with my eyes closed”.

Speaking about his restoration, the pilot stated he’s ” it as a journey” – saying that it “will take time” however he’s “assured that the restoration can be there and I’ll turn into match and wholesome once more”.