India
oi-Madhuri Adnal
An old podcast appearance by Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has resurfaced after he was identified as the captain of a flydubai flight that was diverted to Saudi Arabia following a violent confrontation between the two pilots.
Machchhar, who was stabbed by his co-pilot during the incident, had appeared on the podcast nearly a year before the flight emergency. During the conversation, he spoke about the importance of experience, skill development and staying focused on flying rather than chasing particular airlines, aircraft or an online image.
Indian captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot on flydubai flight FZ1073, leading to its diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia; his prior podcast remarks on pilot focus have resurfaced.
“I always suggest to my kids as well; at first don’t have preferences. No, I want to fly from here. Like, no. Fly,” Machchhar said. He stressed that gaining experience and refining flying skills were central to becoming a good pilot, adding that the profession should not be reduced to posting selfies or building an image online.
Another part of the podcast has also drawn attention. Speaking about situations in the air, Machchhar said pilots and crew members could have to rely on their own training when something goes wrong.
“When we’re up there and something happens, who’s going to save you? You’ll be lucky if there’s a doctor on the plane, but if not, the flight crew can do it too,” he said.
In an old interview, Indian commander Smit Machchhar stated that, in the event of an accident during a flight, only the crew could save lives.
He was wrong, as a captain, he saved hundreds of lives today 👏pic.twitter.com/1zJMclfIpq— Sofia Afonso Ferreira (@sofiafonsoferre) September 30, 2026
His remarks have resurfaced after reports identified him as the captain of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with around 180 passengers and crew members when a confrontation broke out between the two pilots inside the cockpit.
The aircraft was later diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Flydubai said all passengers and crew members were safe and that it was cooperating with the authorities.
Israeli officials and passengers reportedly described the incident as a violent confrontation, with the co-pilot allegedly stabbing Machchhar. The precise sequence of events and the motive remain under investigation.
The aircraft also transmitted emergency signals, including one associated with unlawful interference. The signals raised concerns about a possible hijacking and prompted Israel to quickly prepare fighter jets. The aircraft later experienced a sharp plunge before diverting to Tabuk. Passengers reportedly heard screams and described a chaotic situation near the front of the aircraft.
Machchhar, an Indian national based in Dubai, was initially described in some reports as Emirati. He later emerged as the Indian captain involved in the incident.
He underwent surgery following the stabbing and was reported to be in stable condition at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar has more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience, according to his LinkedIn profile. He joined flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain and is based in Dubai.
His profile states that he has approximately 9,750 hours of flying experience on Boeing 737 aircraft, including the B737-800 and B737 MAX 8/9. More than 6,400 of those hours were as pilot-in-command.
Before joining flydubai, Machchhar spent more than 11 years with SpiceJet, where he worked as a senior commander and later as a Line Training Captain. His profile states that he accumulated more than 9,500 flying hours with the airline, including more than 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command.
His professional experience also includes line training, pilot checks and mentoring. His listed areas of expertise include crew resource management, flight standards, compliance and Boeing 737 operations.
