Netanyahu praises stabbed Indian pilot for saving lives on Flydubai flight

What the report says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly praised an Indian pilot, Captain Smit Machchhar, after a Flydubai passenger flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, according to Al Jazeera. The article says Machchhar was stabbed during an incident involving a co-pilot, but still helped secure the cockpit area and allowed passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. Netanyahu described him as a “true hero” and said his actions helped prevent a larger disaster.

Al Jazeera reported that the flight, FZ1073, carried 174 people and transmitted an emergency alert shortly after departure. It landed at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where the passengers were later flown on to Tel Aviv on a rescue flight operated by Flydubai. The airline said everyone on board was safe and accounted for.

India’s embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was being treated in a hospital in Tabuk and was in stable condition, though it was still awaiting a full medical update, according to the report. Netanyahu later met passengers who had been on the flight when they arrived in Israel, a move that drew criticism from opposition leader Yair Lapid, who called it political theater ahead of elections. The incident highlights the rare but serious risk of in-flight violence and the role of crew and passengers in responding to emergencies.