Flydubai Captain Stabbed in Attempted Cockpit Takeover
36 sourcesUpdated Oct 2, 2026
Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar was seriously wounded when his co-pilot allegedly stabbed him and tried to seize control of a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight carrying 174 people. Despite his injuries, Machchhar opened the cockpit door and raised the alarm, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker; other Flydubai pilots took control and diverted the aircraft to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. A passenger with medical training treated Machchhar, who was reported in stable condition in hospital. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his actions. UAE authorities launched an investigation into a possible hijacking or terrorist motive.
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Center· 5 sources
“Indian flydubai captain hailed as hero for saving 174 lives despite being stabbed by co-pilot”Right· 5 sources
The attacker must have slipped through screening somehow, which points to a failure in basic procedures.
Pilots should have better physical barriers or backup crew to handle threats without getting stabbed.
This kind of cockpit breach shows airport security checks still have serious gaps that need fixing fast.
