Captain Smit Machchhar Aviation Rescue Actions

19 UPDATES · 5 DAYS · 1 OCT 2026 — 5 OCT 2026

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Latest · 5 Oct 2026

A FlyDubai Boeing 737 Max and over 170 people survived a near-catastrophic incident in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the plane dove at over 32,000 feet per minute.

What this timeline covers

This event covers Captain Smit Machchhar saving 174 people from a flydubai flight FZ1073 crash attempt by his co-pilot on September 30, 2026, including its reactions, analyses, and follow-up developments. It excludes other actions by Captain Smit Machchhar, the YSR Congress Party, K. Pawan Kalyan, or flydubai unless they are developments of this occurrence.

The full story, from the beginning

1Oct

STORY BEGINS — The Hindu

Pawan Kalyan and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy praised Captain Smit Machchhar for saving 174 people after he averted a crash caused by an alleged attack from his co-pilot.

NDTV

Former GoAir pilot Prakhar Gupta recalled meeting Captain Smit Machchhar, who reportedly averted a disaster on a flydubai flight and received praise from several world leaders.

The Hindu

Captain Smit Machchhar underwent surgery and moved to Dubai for treatment after sustaining serious injuries during an attack inside the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073.

2Oct

NDTV

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Captain Smit Machchhar regarding the pilot's actions to save 170 passengers during a Flydubai flight incident.

BBC

Captain Smit Machchhar opened a cockpit door to stop a rapid descent after a co-pilot attacked the Israel-bound Flydubai plane.

The Hindu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Benjamin Netanyahu praised flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage in averting a tragedy during a mid-air emergency.

The Hindu

The Consulate of Israel launched a billboard campaign in Mumbai to honor Captain Smit Machchhar for saving 174 lives during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

NDTV

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Captain Smit Machchhar and his family for saving over 170 passengers on a flydubai plane after a co-pilot attacked him.

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar saved 174 flydubai passengers in Abu Dhabi after staving off an axe attack by his co-pilot.

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar saved at least 174 passengers on a flydubai flight by fighting an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash the plane.

NDTV

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi award the Ashoka Chakra to flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar for saving 174 passengers from a stabbing attack.

Al Jazeera

Passengers and crew members saved Flydubai Flight FZ1073 by subduing a copilot who stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar during a 17,000-foot plunge toward the ground.

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar saved approximately 180 lives after he unlocked the cockpit door to allow crew members to overpower a co-pilot who stabbed him during a flight to Tabuk.

3Oct

Al Jazeera

Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar recounted being stabbed by his co-pilot during an alleged attempt to crash a flight to Tel Aviv during a video call with Narendra Modi.

The Hindu

Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar moved to Abu Dhabi for continued medical attention following a mid-air stabbing by his co-pilot on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar described fighting an alleged attempt to seize control of a flydubai aircraft and received praise from Narendra Modi for his courage during the incident.

4Oct

The Hindu

BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi criticized the Congress for its silence regarding pilot Smit Machchhar's actions during an alleged flydubai flight crash attempt and attacked specific party appointments.

NDTV

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and others thwarted an alleged attempt by Omani national Hamam al-Hammami to crash a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on October 4, 2026.

5Oct

LATEST UPDATE — NDTV

A FlyDubai Boeing 737 Max and over 170 people survived a near-catastrophic incident in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the plane dove at over 32,000 feet per minute.

Awaiting next development