Indian pilot hailed as hero for saving passengers after being stabbed by co-pilot

The leaders of Israel and India hailed Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as a hero for saving passengers after he was stabbed by his colleague in an alleged attempt to crash a flydubai plane on Wednesday.

Passengers on the flight reached Israel safely on Wednesday after customers and crew foiled the co-pilot's attempt to crash the aircraft, Israeli officials said. The struggle began when he stabbed the pilot and sent the jet plunging nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 m) in less than 30 seconds.

Machchhar was covered with blood on the floor when he managed to click the release to open the cockpit door, a spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Reuters. That allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot and enable a second pair of flydubai pilots who were on board to land the jet in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

"He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals," Netanyahu said in a post on X. "All passengers are out of harm's way," he had earlier said in a video statement released by his office.

In a post on X early on Thursday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Machchhar, calling him a "hero".

"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 valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy," Modi said.

Indian authorities in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar is receiving necessary medical attention in a hospital in the northwestern city of Tabuk and they are in touch with his family and Saudi authorities to extend all possible help.

He is reported to be stable, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said in a post on X.

Machchhar, who hails from India's financial capital Mumbai, underwent surgery after the incident, Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times reported.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Machchhar worked with India's SpiceJet SPJT.BO airline for over 11 years before joining flydubai.

The cause of the altercation between the pilots was not clear. Flydubai said in a statement that the underlying reasons for the event remained unknown and warned against "premature speculation." It also suspended flights to and from Israel amid an investigation.

Netanyahu described the event as "a highly severe security incident", and said Saudi authorities would interrogate the co-pilot of flydubai FZ1073, which had been en route from the United Arab Emirates to Israel.

Reporting by Kanjyik Ghosh in Barcelona; Editing by Sonali Paul/Reuters