Courage at 33,000 Feet: How Indian Pilot Captain Smit Machchhar Saved More Than 170 People

Update, 28 October 2026: the UAE honours Captain Machchhar and the FZ1073 crew for their courage.

• One of the UAE's top honours: On Tuesday 27 October, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded the First-Class Order of Zayed II, a high-ranking civil decoration, to Captain Machchhar and the rest of the FZ1073 crew for protecting their passengers. Dubai's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, handed over the medals. At the same reception the President met the crew, with Dubai's Ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also there.
• "Part of the story of our nation": Sheikh Hamdan, who had visited the captain while he was being treated, wrote on X that he "embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life", and that the UAE is proud to count him among its own.
• Still in love with flying: Describing the attack to The National, Captain Machchhar said the first blow felt as if part of the aircraft had fallen on his head, before he realised his co-pilot was hitting him. With his vision narrowing, he reached for the door release and called for help before passing out. His passion for aviation survived it all. "I'm just glad that I was able to do my part," he said.
• More recognition on the way: Captain Machchhar is also due to receive Israel's Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism, according to Israeli President Isaac Herzog.

Update sources: ANI, ETV Bharat (Dubai Media Office statement), Open (all 28 October 2026)

Update, 4 October 2026: more of the captain's story, and good news on his recovery.

• A call from Israel: Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu also spoke to Captain Machchhar. Recalling the attack, the captain said it began with “a big blow to the back of my head”, followed by more. With his vision blurring and the plane losing height, he got the cockpit door open once, only for it to be shut again, leaving him on the floor before he made his final push. Mr Netanyahu called him a hero of the entire world.
• Recovering well: on 3 October the Indian Embassy in the UAE said the captain is receiving excellent medical care and responding well to treatment. It is staying in close touch with his family and the local authorities, and thanked the UAE government for looking after him.

Update sources: The Week (4 October 2026); Gulf News, The Statesman (3 October 2026).

Update, 3 October 2026: the UAE now calls it an attempted terror attack, and Captain Machchhar has spoken for the first time.

• What the UAE found: UAE Attorney-General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi says investigators have established that the co-pilot set out to commit a terrorist act. He went for the captain with the cockpit's crash axe and then tried to take over the controls. Work on his motive and any wider links is still under way, with final findings due when the investigation ends.
• In his own words: speaking to PM Modi on a video call from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, Captain Machchhar said that even as he fought for his own life, he knew he “cannot let everybody else die”. He also shared that he recited the Hanuman Chalisa during the ordeal, and that Lord Hanuman gave him courage.
• Praise from all sides: PM Modi said the captain's bravery stopped “another 9/11-like attack”. SpiceJet, where he flew for 11 years, hailed him as “a hero to us all”, and Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE President, called the incident a “dangerous terrorist act”.
• A team effort: the captain wasn't alone. A reserve pilot and a small group of passengers overpowered the co-pilot, steadied the aircraft and helped bring it down safely in Tabuk.

Update sources: The National, NBC News (3 October 2026); CNN, Gulf News (2 October 2026); Global News.

Update, 2 October 2026: good news on Captain Machchhar's recovery, and the first findings from investigators.

• On the mend: after treatment in Tabuk, he was medically cleared and flown to Abu Dhabi on 1 October to continue his recovery.
• A visit from India: India's Ambassador to the UAE, Dr Deepak Mittal, met him and his family in hospital and said he is in good health and recovering well, chatting and even laughing with visitors. India's Ministry of External Affairs says it is closely following his condition.
• What investigators found: a preliminary Saudi inquiry, carried out with a UAE security team, concluded that the co-pilot attacked the captain during a struggle in the cockpit that left both men injured. No motive has been announced.
• Next steps: the UAE has opened its own investigation, including whether the attack was planned or linked to terrorism.

Update sources: Gulf News, India TV, DD India, Al Jazeera, The National (all 1 October 2026)

Most of us cannot even imagine what Captain Smit Machchhar has lived through. Being at the controls of a passenger jet, high above the desert, when the person beside you turns on you with an axe, and his first thought, even while badly hurt, was for the more than 170 people behind him.

Today his name is being spoken with pride from Mumbai to Dubai, and here in Cyprus too.

What happened on flight FZ1073

On Wednesday 30 September 2026, flydubai flight FZ1073 left Dubai for Tel Aviv on a Boeing 737 MAX 8. Somewhere over Jordan, a violent struggle broke out in the cockpit. Captain Machchhar was attacked by his own co-pilot, reportedly with the cockpit's emergency crash axe. The UAE's Attorney-General has since said investigators established it was an attempted terrorist act.

The aircraft sent out emergency signals and dropped from about 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute. Wounded and losing blood, Captain Machchhar kept fighting and managed to unlock the cockpit door. That moment changed everything: off-duty flydubai crew travelling on board and passengers rushed in, overpowered the attacker, took control and diverted the plane to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.

Everyone on board, more than 170 people, walked off that plane. Captain Machchhar was taken to hospital in Tabuk and had surgery. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh has said he is in a stable condition.

Who is Captain Smit Machchhar?

According to Indian media reports, Captain Machchhar comes from a Gujarati family in Mumbai. Before joining flydubai he spent about 11 years with SpiceJet, rising to senior commander and training captain, the pilot who teaches and checks other pilots. He has more than a decade of experience flying the Boeing 737.

In other words, he is one of the thousands of skilled Indian professionals who keep the world moving, often far from home, usually without anyone knowing their name. On 30 September, the world learned his.

“India is proud”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X on 1 October: “Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others.” He added that India is proud of him and prayed for his speedy recovery.

The Prime Minister also spoke to Captain Machchhar's wife and parents, praised his bravery and said Indian missions are giving the family all possible support. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised his “extraordinary bravery”.

Why this story touches us in Cyprus

Many of us know the Larnaca–Dubai route by heart, because it's how we fly home to India. Many of us also work in jobs where we are trusted with other people's safety: on ships, in hospitals, in hotels and on construction sites. We rarely make headlines. But we know what it means to carry that responsibility quietly, every day.

Captain Machchhar showed the world what that sense of duty looks like at its most extreme. In the worst moment of his life, he thought of others first. That is something every Indian, at home or abroad, can be proud of.

Get well soon, Captain. A grateful community in Cyprus is cheering for you.

Please note: this is a developing story. The investigation is ongoing, and some details may change as the authorities release more information.

Read also: Chak de India! India's proudest moments since 2014

Sources: flydubai, AlJazeera, BusinessStandard, BusinessToday, BusinessStandard2, ArabNews