Captain hailed a hero after cockpit stabbing on flydubai flight bound for Israel

People disembark from a FlyDubai plane carrying Israeli passengers who had earlier been aboard another FlyDubai aircraft that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia (Ariel Schalit/AP)

An Indian airline captain who was at the controls of a flydubai flight when a copilot stabbed him in an apparent attempt to crash the plane, has been hailed a hero, and his actions to thwart disaster have drawn praise from world leaders.

Smit Machchhar, from Mumbai, was seriously injured as passengers rushed into the cockpit and restrained the attacker, when the drama unfolded on Wednesday while the Boeing 737 descended sharply, according to witnesses and Israeli authorities.

The attack forced the flight carrying 174 people from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, to make an emergency landing in Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Mr Machchhar was taken to hospital and was in a stable condition, the Indian embassy in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, said on Wednesday.

Embassy officials were in contact with his family and Saudi authorities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called Mr Machchhar a hero.

Mr Modi wrote on X: “In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others. His valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy.”

According to Mr Machchhar’s LinkedIn profile, he has worked for FlyDubai for about four years. Before joining the airline he spent 11 years with SpiceJet, an Indian low-cost carrier, where he was a senior commander and line training captain.

He has logged more than 9,750 flying hours, according to the profile.

He trained as a pilot at Mainland Air in the New Zealand city of Dunedin for 18 months, beginning in 2008, the school’s chief executive, Philip Kean, told 1News.

Mr Kean said Mr Machchhar “did very well” as a student and later returned to India where he worked as a recruiter for the school.

“We’re all very proud of him here and wish him a speedy recovery,” he said.

SpiceJet, in a post on X, praised Mr  Machchhar’s “heroic courage” and “selfless actions.” “You are a hero to us all, Captain,” the airline wrote.

The attack triggered a major security response in Israel, and authorities scrambled fighter jets in case of a possible hijacking.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was undergoing interrogation there. His motive for the attack was not clear.

Mr Netanyahu praised Mr Machchhar’s “extraordinary bravery” in a post on X, saying the wounded captain fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker, preventing what he described as a “catastrophic midair disaster.”

“He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Mr Netanyahu wrote.