Who Is Pilot Smit Machchhar? He Helped Save 174 Passengers Despite Being Injured

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar helped save 174 passengers even after being seriously injured in a knife attack by his co-pilot mid-flight. The incident occurred Wednesday on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, which later made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

At the time of the incident, the aircraft was in Saudi Arabian airspace. Smit was seriously injured during a confrontation with the co-pilot in the cockpit. Despite his injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and help restrain the attacker.

The aircraft eventually landed safely at Tabuk Airport. Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot, while an investigation is underway into the cause and motive of the incident.

Smit is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Tabuk. Indian authorities said his condition is stable. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised him for helping protect the passengers despite his serious injuries.

Smit has more than a decade of experience as a pilot. He worked for SpiceJet for nearly 11 years before joining Flydubai in 2022. He was serving as the captain of a Boeing 737 aircraft.

Smit initially had no plans to become a pilot. His interest in aviation developed after attending a seminar on aviation while studying management. That interest eventually led him to pursue a career as a pilot.