Captain Machchhar: The pilot from Mumbai who proved to be the hero
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, is being hailed as a hero for preventing a potential disaster on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. After being attacked by his co-pilot, Machchhar managed to stabilize the aircraft despite sustaining injuries, allowing other crew members to intervene.
Why it matters
The incident highlights critical safety protocols in aviation and the extreme risks posed by insider threats in the cockpit.
NEW DELHI: A Mumbaikar who completed his pilot training in Gurgaon, Captain Smit Machchhar, has emerged as the hero who helped save the lives of over 180 people on board flydubai’s Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. Attacked by his Omani national co-pilot, the captain, who hails from Ghatkopar and is learnt to be in mid 30s, he managed to both fight off the assailant and regain control of the aircraft despite being injured.Displaying a crucial presence of mind in most sudden and severe circumstances, he managed to save the plane from plunging — something the Boeing 737 MAX was very close to at that point of time. According to tracking site Flightradar24, the plane (A6-FKF) operating as FZ 1073 had dropped over 14,000 feet (about 4.3 km) from 30,875 feet to 16,750 feet in just 29 seconds.
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