Former Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy has praised Indian Captain Smit Machchhar and passengers aboard an Israel-bound flight for their actions during a reported midair cockpit attack. Speaking to ANI on October 1, Levy said the incident could have resulted in catastrophic consequences had the crew and passengers failed to intervene. He described the episode as a suspected terrorist attack and compared its potential impact to the September 11 attacks in the United States. These characterizations reflect Levy’s assessment; the incident remains under investigation.
According to Levy’s account, the flight’s Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed Captain Machchhar while the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia and attempted to seize control of the cockpit. Despite being injured, Machchhar reportedly opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and confront the attacker. Passengers restrained the alleged assailant, while an Israeli passenger reportedly helped stabilize the aircraft. An off-duty pilot traveling on the flight subsequently assisted in taking control, and the aircraft landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar also commended Machchhar, crediting the captain, cabin crew, passengers and additional pilots on board with helping save approximately 180 people. Azar said medical personnel were available at the airport to assess those involved and that passengers were safe following the incident.
Levy said Israeli authorities were closely monitoring the Saudi investigation and wanted to participate in the inquiry. He noted that passenger accounts, flight data and the aircraft’s black box could help investigators establish what happened and identify measures to prevent similar incidents.
Azar also called attention to regional security cooperation, arguing that intelligence sharing among governments, security agencies and civil aviation authorities could help address emerging threats. He said aviation safety procedures would likely face further review following the incident.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said the alleged attacker was being investigated in Saudi Arabia and could potentially be transferred to the United Arab Emirates. Israel has indicated that it intends to follow the investigation and may seek to participate.
Machchhar is an experienced commercial pilot with more than 13 years in aviation and approximately 9,750 flying hours, primarily operating Boeing 737 aircraft. Before joining Flydubai, he spent 11 years at SpiceJet, where he worked as a line training captain.
Flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel while the investigation proceeds. Authorities’ findings are expected to clarify the circumstances of the cockpit confrontation and inform any subsequent changes to aviation security procedures.
