Indian captain Smit Machchhar identified as pilot stabbed on Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia: Sources

Indian captain Smit Machchhar identified as pilot stabbed on Flydubai flight diverted to Saudi Arabia: Sources

Indian national Smit Machchhar has been identified as the flydubai captain who was stabbed during Wednesday's incident aboard flight FZ1073, which was diverted from its Dubai-Tel Aviv route to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, sources told India Today.

Machchhar, who is of Gujarati origin, joined flydubai as a direct-entry captain in June 2022. Before that, he spent nearly 11 years with SpiceJet, working there from June 2011 until 2022.

He is a Boeing 737 fleet specialist with expertise in safety and compliance and has also mentored other pilots, according to the sources. Machchhar holds a Business Administration degree from Welingkar Institute of Management.

The Flydubai aircraft was diverted to Tabuk after an in-flight confrontation involving the pilots. Both pilots were injured and taken to hospital following the incident.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

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