He Saved 174 People: What Is Known About The Heroic Flydubai Pilot?

The prime ministers of Israel and India called Captain Machhar a hero.

He is 39 years old, a father of two, and has just been hailed as a hero. Indian pilot Smith Machhar saved 174 people, who were flying yesterday on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. He fended off an attack by the co-pilot and helped prevent the plane from crashing due to the attacker’s actions. The prime ministers of Israel and India have called Machhar a hero, according to RFM.

“There was blood everywhere”

Dramatic events unfolded on Wednesday aboard a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. A fight broke out in the cockpit between the two pilots. According to current reports, one of them—an Omani citizen—attempted to crash or hijack the plane. The other, Smith Machhar, tried to stop him.

The assailant stabbed Captain Machhar with a knife. During the scuffle, the cockpit door was open. Thanks to this, other passengers rushed inside, subdued the assailant, and took control of the plane. The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. This was possible because there were two pilots among the passengers.
Machhar himself sustained serious injuries. A dentist who was on the same flight administered first aid to him.

“I think if we had waited a little longer, we would have lost him. His blood pressure dropped sharply, he suddenly lost consciousness, and there was blood everywhere,” said Shota Musaev.

According to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, Machhar is currently in a hospital in Saudi Arabia, and his condition is stable.

One year ago, Captain Smit Machchhar asked a simple question: “When we’re up there and something happens, who’s going to save you?”

He proved his own point when he managed to help prevent the hijacking of his flight by his co-pilot, who stabbed him.

We are forever grateful for… pic.twitter.com/eN2nmC1gw0

— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) October 1, 2026

The Prime Ministers of Israel and India Speak with One Voice

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly called Machhar a hero and emphasized that his courage “prevented a catastrophe similar to the one that occurred on September 11.” In a post on Platform X, Netanyahu stated that Captain Machhar “saved the lives of 174 people.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also wrote that Captain Smith Machhar is a hero. “In the face of the greatest threat and despite serious injuries, he showed tremendous courage and determination to protect the lives of others. India is proud of Captain Machhar,” Modi said.

He didn’t dream of becoming a pilot at first

Machhar was born in Mumbai. His family was in the textile business. Last year, in an interview on the Bona-Fide Banter podcast, he said that as a child, he didn’t dream of becoming a pilot.

After high school, he enrolled in a textile engineering program. “I completed the entire program; I was still young, so I wanted to study a little more,” he said.

Then he enrolled in flight training and, in his own words, “caught the bug” and decided he wanted to sit at the controls of an airplane. He trained in New Zealand.

“In half a minute, it would all have been over”
“He was always a cheerful young man and tried very hard,” said his instructor at the time, Philip Keen, in an interview with CNN. In a group photo from that time, Machhara is easily recognizable. “That distinctive smile… he’s just a happy, joyful person,” he says.
Keen, commenting on the incident aboard the Flydubai flight on Wednesday, described the pilot’s reaction as “amazing.” “Within a few seconds, the plane could have crashed, and fortunately, they managed to open the door… fortunately, he managed to keep the situation under control and save the day. Half a minute later, it would all have been over,” the former manager noted in a conversation with CNN. “I’m very proud that he handled the situation so well,” he added.

Before joining Flydubai, Machhar spent 11 years at the Indian airline SpiceJet, where he rose to the rank of senior captain. According to his LinkedIn profile, he has more than 9,750 hours of flight experience, including more than 6,400 hours as an aircraft captain.

His former employer, SpiceJet, issued a statement calling Machhar a “hero” who saved “countless lives.”

Israeli Authorities: Terrorist Tried to Crash Plane

As for aviation, according to Machhar, he was fortunate to be surrounded by people who helped him become the pilot he is today—he said in a podcast last year. He emphasized that it was experienced pilots who taught him how to handle stressful situations.

During the conversation, Captain Machhar said that none of the planes he had flown had ever required an emergency landing. However, he did experience minor technical glitches that caused delays. “Delays aren’t a problem as long as you get off the plane safely,” he noted.

Before Wednesday’s incident, one of the most unusual situations he had encountered in his more than 15-year flying career was a woman going into labor on board.

“The woman went into premature labor,” Machhar recalled on the Bona-Fide Banter podcast. “She said something like, ‘Captain, I’m going into labor,’” he recounted.

Machhar himself is the father of two children. As he said on the podcast, family is very important to him, and he tries to spend as much time with them as possible.

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