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What is the story about?
Smit Machchhar, an Indian national and former SpiceJet pilot, has been identified in media reports as the captain of Flydubai flight FZ1073 that was diverted to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, September 30, after a violent incident involving the pilots inside the cockpit.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it transmitted emergency signals and subsequently made an emergency landing at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both the captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital, according to authorities at Tabuk airport. Flydubai said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were safe and accounted for.
Flydubai has not publicly disclosed the identities or nationalities of the two pilots.
Smit Machchhar: Former SpiceJet pilot who joined Flydubai in 2022
According to reports, Machchhar previously worked with SpiceJet before joining Flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain.
His professional profile has been reported as showing more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and thousands of hours flying Boeing 737 aircraft, including the 737-800 and 737 MAX variants, reported News18.
At SpiceJet, he reportedly served in senior flying and training roles, with experience in pilot-in-command operations, line training, pilot checks and mentoring.
However, the professional details circulating online could not be independently verified against Flydubai's official records. A LinkedIn profile carrying the same name is also associated with a different professional background, underscoring the need for caution in attributing the career details to the pilot involved in Wednesday's incident.
What happened on Flydubai flight FZ1073?
Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport with around 180 people on board when the incident occurred.
According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft transmitted the emergency code 7700 before subsequently transmitting 7500, the code associated with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. The aircraft also made a sharp descent before diverting to Tabuk. Flightradar24 said the aircraft descended from around 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute before continuing towards Saudi Arabia.
The Associated Press, citing officials, reported that a fight broke out between the pilots in the cockpit. Israeli officials said the incident raised concerns about a possible hijacking and prompted Israel to scramble fighter aircraft. The plane ultimately landed safely in Tabuk.
Reports say captain confronted co-pilot
Israeli media reports have alleged that the co-pilot, reported to be an Omani national, attacked the captain with a knife and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Those reports said the captain fought back and that passengers and other crew members subsequently helped subdue the co-pilot.
However, the precise sequence of events remains under investigation. Reuters reported that officials were investigating the incident, while AP said officials had confirmed a fight between the pilots but that the cause of the confrontation was not immediately clear.
The Associated Press also reported that videos circulating on social media appeared to show injured people and passengers receiving medical assistance after the aircraft landed. The agency said it reviewed the footage but the circumstances depicted had not been independently established.
Flydubai confirms in-flight incident
Flydubai confirmed that FZ1073 experienced an in-flight incident and landed safely in Tabuk.
The airline said it was working with the relevant authorities and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. It has not released further details about what happened inside the cockpit or identified the pilots.
Israeli authorities are investigating the incident, while Saudi authorities have also been involved following the emergency landing. The exact motive behind the cockpit confrontation and the full sequence of events remain unclear.
The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it transmitted emergency signals and subsequently made an emergency landing at Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Both the captain and first officer were injured and taken to hospital, according to authorities at Tabuk airport. Flydubai said the aircraft landed safely and that all passengers were safe and accounted for.
Flydubai has not publicly disclosed the identities or nationalities of the two pilots.
Smit Machchhar: Former SpiceJet pilot who joined Flydubai in 2022
According to reports, Machchhar previously worked with SpiceJet before joining Flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain.
His professional profile has been reported as showing more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and thousands of hours flying Boeing 737 aircraft, including the 737-800 and 737 MAX variants, reported News18.
At SpiceJet, he reportedly served in senior flying and training roles, with experience in pilot-in-command operations, line training, pilot checks and mentoring.
However, the professional details circulating online could not be independently verified against Flydubai's official records. A LinkedIn profile carrying the same name is also associated with a different professional background, underscoring the need for caution in attributing the career details to the pilot involved in Wednesday's incident.
What happened on Flydubai flight FZ1073?
Flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai International Airport to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport with around 180 people on board when the incident occurred.
According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft transmitted the emergency code 7700 before subsequently transmitting 7500, the code associated with unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. The aircraft also made a sharp descent before diverting to Tabuk. Flightradar24 said the aircraft descended from around 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in roughly a minute before continuing towards Saudi Arabia.
The Associated Press, citing officials, reported that a fight broke out between the pilots in the cockpit. Israeli officials said the incident raised concerns about a possible hijacking and prompted Israel to scramble fighter aircraft. The plane ultimately landed safely in Tabuk.
Reports say captain confronted co-pilot
Israeli media reports have alleged that the co-pilot, reported to be an Omani national, attacked the captain with a knife and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Those reports said the captain fought back and that passengers and other crew members subsequently helped subdue the co-pilot.
However, the precise sequence of events remains under investigation. Reuters reported that officials were investigating the incident, while AP said officials had confirmed a fight between the pilots but that the cause of the confrontation was not immediately clear.
The Associated Press also reported that videos circulating on social media appeared to show injured people and passengers receiving medical assistance after the aircraft landed. The agency said it reviewed the footage but the circumstances depicted had not been independently established.
Flydubai confirms in-flight incident
Flydubai confirmed that FZ1073 experienced an in-flight incident and landed safely in Tabuk.
The airline said it was working with the relevant authorities and that all passengers were safe and accounted for. It has not released further details about what happened inside the cockpit or identified the pilots.
Israeli authorities are investigating the incident, while Saudi authorities have also been involved following the emergency landing. The exact motive behind the cockpit confrontation and the full sequence of events remain unclear.
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