Indian flydubai captain Smit Machchhar has been praised for his actions after a serious cockpit altercation forced flight FZ1073 to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The Boeing 737 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when an altercation between the pilots resulted in a sharp descent of about 14,000 feet. Machchhar was seriously injured after reportedly being attacked by his co-pilot but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene and restrain the attacker.
The aircraft, carrying 174 people, was diverted to Tabuk Airport, where it landed safely. Off-duty flydubai crew members and passengers helped stabilise the aircraft and assist the injured pilots. Machchhar was taken to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar for his courage and his role in preventing a potential catastrophe. The incident remains under investigation, while the UAE authorities are examining its circumstances and possible motives.
