Captain Smit Machchhar Hijacking Prevention

26 UPDATES · 9 DAYS · 1 OCT 2026 — 8 OCT 2026

Narendra ModiCongressGujaratModiPM ModiS JaishankarDelhiMumbai

Latest · 8 Oct 2026

Israel will honor Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism after he saved 174 passengers and crew from a hijacked flydubai plane.

What this timeline covers

This event covers the incident where an Israeli passenger claimed control of a flydubai jet after the Indian captain was stabbed by an Omani co-pilot, including its reactions, analyses, and follow-up developments. It excludes other actions by the passengers, pilots, the Israeli government, or the involved nations unless they are direct developments of this occurrence.

The full story, from the beginning

1Oct

STORY BEGINS — Times of India

Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun told Benjamin Netanyahu he controlled a flydubai jet after an Omani co-pilot stabbed the Indian captain during a flight to Saudi Arabia.

NDTV

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other world leaders praised Captain Smit Machchhar for thwarting a co-pilot's alleged hijacking attempt and saving 174 passengers on a flydubai flight.

The Hindu

President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised pilot Smit Machchhar for thwarting a co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash a flydubai flight carrying 174 passengers.

NDTV

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar and four Israelis thwarted an Omani co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, diverting the aircraft to Saudi Arabia.

NDTV

SpiceJet CEO Ajay Singh praised flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar for preventing a tragedy after a co-pilot stabbed him and caused a Boeing 737 to plunge 14,000 feet.

NDTV

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar prevented a 9/11-style tragedy on flydubai flight FZ 1073 by fighting an accused copilot who attempted to crash the aircraft.

Times of India

Captain Smit Machchhar and his crew saved over 170 lives on flydubai Flight 1073 after Machchhar overpowered an attacker who stabbed him during the flight.

NDTV

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar thwarted a co-pilot's attempt to hijack and crash flydubai flight FZ1073 before relief pilots diverted the aircraft safely to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The Hindu

Captain Smit Machchhar saved a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv by helping land the plane safely in Tabuk after his co-pilot attempted to crash the jet.

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar prevented a mid-air attack on a flydubai flight by opening the cockpit door to allow passengers and pilots to overpower an attacking co-pilot.

BBC

Captain Smit Machchhar saved 174 people after a pilot attempted to hijack and crash a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.

BBC

Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that an Omani national and alleged attacker underwent Islamist radical indoctrination before attempting to down a Flydubai flight.

NDTV

Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News that an Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed a captain and attempted suicide during a flydubai flight that landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

Times of India

Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched investigations after passengers overpowered an Omani co-pilot who allegedly stabbed a captain during a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.

2Oct

Al Jazeera

Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry launched an investigation into a Flydubai flight emergency landing after a preliminary probe found the co-pilot assaulted captain Smit Machchhar.

NDTV

A flydubai Boeing 737 made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia after a co-pilot allegedly stabbed captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to crash the aircraft.

NDTV

Israel intends to seek the extradition of an Omani co-pilot who allegedly stabbed an Indian captain during a jihadistic terror attempt on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.

Times of India

Israeli investigators and UAE authorities are investigating an Omani co-pilot accused of stabbing an Indian captain on a flydubai flight that plunged before landing in Saudi Arabia.

3Oct

NDTV

An Omani co-pilot allegedly attempted to sabotage a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv and stabbed a pilot before passengers and relief pilots diverted the aircraft safely to Tabuk.

Al Jazeera

Omani national Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv before reserve pilots landed the aircraft safely in Tabuk.

NDTV

Benjamin Netanyahu invited flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar and Narendra Modi to Israel's Independence Day ceremony after Machchhar allegedly survived an axe attack by a co-pilot during an emergency flight.

4Oct

Times of India

Omani national Hammam al-Hammami allegedly attacked an Indian pilot with a crash axe on a flydubai flight, causing the plane to plunge before landing in Saudi Arabia.

6Oct

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar underwent emergency surgery in Abu Dhabi after Omani co-pilot Hamad Al-Hammami allegedly attacked him on a flydubai flight that plunged 18,000 feet.

7Oct

NDTV

Dentist Shota Musaev treated pilot Smit Machchhar for injuries after co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attempted to hijack a flydubai flight before it landed in Saudi Arabia.

NDTV

Captain Smit Machchhar is recovering in a Dubai hospital after co-pilot Hammam Al-Hammami attacked him with an axe during a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv.

8Oct

LATEST UPDATE — NDTV

Israel will honor Indian Captain Smit Machchhar with the Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism after he saved 174 passengers and crew from a hijacked flydubai plane.

Awaiting next development