India
oi-Prakash KL
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday praised Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for his courage during a mid-air attack on a flydubai flight, saying his actions helped prevent a major tragedy and save hundreds of lives.
Machchhar was flying flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when he was allegedly attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot, who was reportedly attempting to crash the Israel-bound aircraft.
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar bravely subdued a co-pilot’s mid-air attack on flydubai flight FZ1073, preventing tragedy. Praised by EAM S Jaishankar and PM Modi, the flight was safely diverted to Saudi Arabia.
The situation turned chaotic inside the cockpit, with the aircraft suddenly losing altitude during the confrontation. Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar is said to have managed to unlock and open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and restrain the alleged attacker.
The aircraft was later diverted to Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Jaishankar, in a post on X, lauded the pilot’s presence of mind despite being in grave danger. “Captain Smit Machchhar’s extraordinary courage and remarkable presence of mind, even in the face of grave danger, saved hundreds of lives yesterday and averted a major tragedy,” he said.
The External Affairs Minister also joined the messages of support for the injured pilot and wished him a speedy recovery.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also described Machchhar as a “HERO”, praising his determination to protect those on board even after sustaining serious injuries.
“Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO. In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others,” Modi said in a post on X.
Passengers later recalled scenes of panic inside the aircraft. One passenger told CBS News that the plane experienced severe turbulence and a rapid drop in altitude during the confrontation near the cockpit.
Machchhar’s actions were also praised by Israeli officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu highlighted the Indian captain’s role as well as that of Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun, who reportedly helped restrain the alleged attacker.
According to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Machchhar was able to open the cockpit door despite his injuries, giving Israeli passengers and Emirati crew members an opportunity to intervene.
The Indian Embassy in Israel also praised the pilot for showing “remarkable courage, composure and devotion to duty” during the incident.
Machchhar is an experienced commercial pilot with more than 13 years in aviation. Before joining Dubai-based flydubai, he worked with SpiceJet in India as a Line Training Captain. He has reportedly accumulated around 9,750 flying hours, mainly on Boeing 737 aircraft.
Flydubai has meanwhile suspended its flights to and from Israel temporarily as authorities continue to investigate the incident.
With inputs from ANI
