On Wednesday, May 26, 2026, a Flydubai 737‑800 en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv was hijacked by a co‑pilot who tried to seize the controls. Captain Smit Machchhar, 29, used his training to wrestle the attacker and force the aircraft into a controlled descent.
Machchhar suffered a deep laceration on his left forearm and a fractured rib, according to the airline's medical report. Despite bleeding heavily, he managed to unlock the cockpit door and alert the cabin crew.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar on Fox News, calling his actions "unbelievable courage" and noting that the pilot's intervention prevented a catastrophe.
The Indian‑born pilot has 13 years of commercial experience, 9,750 flight hours, and previously served as a Line Training Captain at SpiceJet.
Flydubai has halted all flights to and from Israel pending a full investigation, and the pilot is currently recovering in a Dubai hospital. His family remains in Mumbai, awaiting updates.
Authorities in Israel and the UAE are coordinating an inquiry, while the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority has opened a formal probe into the incident. The pilot's case is expected to be presented to the court next month.