Raja Krishnamoorthi honours pilot Smit Machchhar for saving 172 on Flydubai

US Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi has honoured Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar after a cockpit attack left him seriously injured. He said the pilot's actions gave passengers and crew the chance to avert catastrophe.Washington,Oct 9, 2026 08:06 ISTUS Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi on Friday honoured Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for what he described as extraordinary bravery aboard Flydubai Flight 1073, saying the captain’s actions helped save 172 passengers and crew members. Machchhar was seriously injured after being attacked in the cockpit by his co-pilot while the flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.Krishnamoorthi, a Democratic Congressman from Illinois, submitted a statement to the US Congressional Record on the incident. He said there were four US citizens and 27 children among those on board, and said the flight was eventually landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after two reserve Flydubai pilots travelling on the aircraft took control.In his statement, Krishnamoorthi said, “After being attacked by the flight’s first officer, who attempted to seize control of the aircraft, Captain Machchhar’s actions helped save the lives of 172 passengers and his fellow crew members.” He also described Machchhar as “a husband, father, and pilot with 17 years of flying experience, including 11 as a captain”.Krishnamoorthi said that when the first officer attacked Machchhar, the aircraft plunged about 16,000 feet in around 30 seconds. “Despite grave injuries, Captain Machchhar fought his way to the cockpit door and opened it, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and overpower his attacker. Two reserve Flydubai pilots travelling aboard the aircraft then took control and landed it safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia,” he said. He said Machchhar understood that the lives of everyone on board depended on what he did next. “Despite his injuries, his years of experience told him that the aircraft was going down, and he found the strength to reach that door. His presence of mind, determination, and courage gave the passengers and crew the chance they needed to stop the attack and avert a catastrophe,” Krishnamoorthi said. He added that behind every person aboard Flight 1073 was a family that was spared an unimaginable loss because Machchhar refused to give up.Krishnamoorthi urged his colleagues to join him in honouring Machchhar, saying his courage helped save hundreds of lives aboard Flight 1073. He also extended wishes to Machchhar, his wife Sonal, their two children and their family, and said he hoped for the captain’s recovery from his injuries at the earliest. With PTI Inputs- Ends