PM Modi Hails Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar After Cockpit Attack: ‘India Is Proud of Him’

A crisis that suddenly arose inside an aircraft thousands of feet in the air could have turned into a major aviation tragedy. However, Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, showed courage that gave passengers a chance to escape safely. After the incident on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called Captain Machchhar a "hero". His bravery is now being discussed from India to Israel and the United States.

Flydubai Cockpit Attack: PM Modi says 'India is proud of Captain Machchhar'

The extraordinary developments on Flydubai flight FZ1073 have once again brought aircraft safety and the courage of pilots into focus. In a post on the social media platform X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Captain Smit Machchhar, saying that despite serious injuries he showed indomitable courage to save the lives of others. The Prime Minister also wished him a speedy recovery.

The incident took place on the aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to reports, Captain Machchhar was allegedly attacked with a knife in the cockpit by his co-pilot, who also allegedly tried to damage the aircraft. Despite being injured in the attack, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and members of the relief team on board then overpowered the alleged attacker.

As the situation deteriorated, strong jolts were felt on the aircraft. Passenger Almog Itli said the plane descended sharply for a short time and then recovered. The aircraft was later diverted towards Saudi Arabia, where it was landed safely. The passengers were subsequently taken to Tel Aviv on another aircraft.

Flydubai Cockpit Attack: Key role in saving 174 lives

The Indian Embassy has described Captain Machchhar's courage as extraordinary. Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also appreciated his role, saying that despite being seriously injured he succeeded in opening the cockpit, which gave the passengers and crew an opportunity to intervene. According to Israeli officials, this collective effort saved 174 lives.

The passengers also played an important role in the entire episode. According to reports, Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun helped overpower the alleged attacker. US President Donald Trump also publicly praised the courage of Captain Machchhar and Hayun.

Captain Machchhar is a pilot with long experience in aviation. He has about 9,750 hours of flying experience and had earlier worked with SpiceJet for around 11 years. He is also experienced in operating Boeing 737 aircraft.

Amid the investigation, Flydubai has decided to temporarily suspend flights to and from Israel. Aviation safety agencies are also reviewing security procedures following the incident.