Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar was airlifted from Saudi Arabia to Dubai for further medical treatment after he was injured in a cockpit incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073. The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when Machchhar was reportedly attacked by his co-pilot. The aircraft later landed safely in Tabuk, where Machchhar received medical attention. The incident occurred on Wednesday and involved 174 passengers and crew members.

According to accounts cited by Reuters, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door despite being seriously injured. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson said the pilot was on the cockpit floor and covered in blood when he activated the release mechanism. This allowed passengers and crew members to enter the cockpit and overpower the co-pilot. Two additional flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft then helped bring the plane under control and land it safely in Tabuk.

Indian officials in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was receiving necessary medical treatment and that authorities were in contact with his family and Saudi officials. The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said he was stable. Passengers reportedly rushed towards the cockpit after the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude, with Flightradar24 data indicating that the plane descended by around 17,000 feet within approximately a minute. flydubai confirmed that all passengers were safe following the incident.

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Israeli officials described the episode as an attempted terrorist attack, although Netanyahu said it was too early to determine who was behind the incident. In remarks reported by Reuters, Netanyahu praised Machchhar for resisting the attacker and enabling passengers and crew members to intervene. The circumstances surrounding the co-pilot’s actions and the motive behind the attack remain subject to investigation, while authorities continue to examine what happened inside the cockpit during the flight.

The Gujarat government has announced that Machchhar will receive the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award in recognition of his reported bravery. Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel praised the pilot’s actions and said his conduct had brought recognition to the state and the country. Patel said the award would honour Machchhar’s courage and his role in helping prevent a potentially serious aviation disaster.

Machchhar, who is in his 30s, has more than 13 years of commercial flying experience on Boeing 737 aircraft, according to information cited from his LinkedIn profile. He joined flydubai in 2022 after previously working with Indian airline SpiceJet. In a podcast in 2025, Machchhar recalled developing an interest in aviation after attending a seminar while studying management and initially considering helping with his family’s textile business. He later pursued a career in commercial aviation, describing his first flight as challenging because of the responsibility involved.

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