Indian Pilot Hailed Hero After Foiling Plane Hijacking Attempt

An Indian pilot with 15 years of experience, Smit Macher, is being hailed as a hero after thwarting an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight. Macher was reportedly stabbed in the cockpit during the incident, possibly with an emergency axe, but managed to open the cockpit door despite his injuries. This allowed passengers and crew to enter and overpower the co-pilot, who is suspected of attempting to crash the plane. During the struggle, the aircraft entered a spin and began to dive. One passenger, along with a crew member, entered the cockpit with Macher's help to subdue the assailant pilot. Another pilot, from Fiji, then took control of the aircraft, which sustained damage during the rapid descent. A passenger described the event as "crazy" after the attacker was neutralized and a doctor attended to the injured captain. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed ambassadors, stating the incident was a "terrorist attempt against Israelis and the Abraham Accords." Macher joined Flydubai in June 2022, having previously flown for SpiceJet in India for 11 years.