The FlyDubai pilot hailed as a hero after being stabbed on Israel-bound flight FZ1073 made eerie remarks about cabin crew being able to "save your life" in a podcast recorded almost a year before the incident.
Attack on flight FZ1073
Capt Smit Machchhar was allegedly attacked by another pilot on board the flight bound for Tel Aviv on Wednesday, forcing the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia. The Indian national, hailed as a "true hero" by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was taken to a hospital in Tabuk City, north-west Saudi Arabia, and is in a stable condition, according to the Indian embassy in Riyadh.
In a podcast episode uploaded to YouTube on October 17, 2025, Capt Machchhar spoke about how people often do not treat cabin crew properly.
Podcast comments resurface
The captain told host Zalak Mehta on the Bona-Fide Banter podcast: "When we are up there and if something happens, who's going to save you? You'd be lucky enough to have a doctor on board, but then if not, then they [cabin crew] are trained ... they can save your life, you know?"
He said the public's "outlook" towards the crew was "unfortunate", adding: "When things are going wrong, you need them."
Pilot praised by leaders
Netanyahu said in an X post that "despite being stabbed and seriously injured", Capt Machchhar "fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker". He added that the pilot prevented a "catastrophic midair disaster" and "saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals".
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called the captain 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 valor helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy," Modi wrote on X on Thursday.
Career and background
Little is publicly known about Machchhar, but according to his 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 served as a senior commander and line training captain. He has logged more than 9,750 flying hours, according to the profile.
Machchhar trained as a pilot at Mainland Air in the New Zealand city of Dunedin for 18 months, beginning in 2008, the school's CEO, Philip Kean, told the country's 1News. Kean said 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.
The attack triggered a major security response in Israel, with authorities scrambling fighter jets amid fears of a possible hijacking. Netanyahu said the attacker, an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was being interrogated there. The motive for the attack remains unclear.
