Dunedin flight school owner ‘blown away’ by former student’s actions during mid-flight stabbing
Captain Smit Machchhar, a former New Zealand flight student, is being hailed as a hero for thwarting a mid-flight stabbing and hijacking attempt by his co-pilot. The incident occurred on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, resulting in an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Why it matters
The incident highlights a rare but critical aviation security event and the heroic actions of an individual pilot in preventing a mass-casualty disaster.
A Dunedin flight school owner was “blown away” to hear his talented former student was stabbed by his co-pilot while flying a passenger plane bound for Israel. On Wednesday, former Mainland Air student Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by his flydubai co-pilot on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Israeli officials said the co-pilot tried to crash the plane after stabbing Capt Machchhar, sending the jet plunging more than 17,000 feet in less than two minutes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Capt Machchhar saved the lives of 174 people, as well as countless Israeli citizens and other nationals. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster,” Mr Netanyahu said in a post on X. The plane diverted, landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
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