Indian pilot stops co-pilot attack on Dubai to Tel Aviv flight

An Indian pilot saved 174 passengers on Wednesday after his co-pilot attacked him in the cockpit. Captain Smit Machchhar was flying a FlyDubai plane from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the co-pilot stabbed him. The co-pilot appeared to want to hijack or crash the aircraft. Despite his injuries, Machchhar opened the cockpit door. Passengers and crew then grabbed the attacker and stopped him. Machchhar was taken to hospital and is in a stable condition. He has 13 years of flying experience and joined FlyDubai in 2022. The passengers, most of them Israeli nationals, later reached Tel Aviv on a separate flight. Both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Machchhar a hero. The co-pilot's identity and motive are still unknown.