Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, is receiving medical treatment in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following a violent altercation aboard his aircraft. According to reports citing Israeli officials, the flight was diverted on Wednesday after the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife in a reported attempt to crash the plane. The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers at the time of the incident.

While the investigation into the motive behind the attack remains ongoing, the incident has drawn attention to the personal background of the pilot. Childhood friends of Machchhar have described him as a composed and steady individual, with one acquaintance noting that he "had always been very calm." This characterization stands in contrast to the chaotic nature of the mid-air emergency that necessitated the emergency landing. Authorities are currently working to piece together the sequence of events that led to the co-pilot’s alleged actions, though specific details regarding the co-pilot’s identity or current status have not been fully disclosed in initial reports. The flight was successfully diverted, and no passenger casualties were reported during the landing process.