NEW DELHI, Oct. 4
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Indian flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar to light a torch at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony, one of the country’s highest ceremonial honours, praising him as a “hero for Israel, India and the entire world” for his actions during the September 30 mid-air emergency.
Netanyahu extended the invitation during a telephone conversation with Machchhar on Saturday, as the injured pilot continues to recover from wounds suffered during the attack aboard flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The Israeli leader also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the Independence Day ceremony.
“I invite you to light a torch at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony,” Netanyahu told Machchhar, explaining that the honour is normally reserved for Israeli citizens.
In Machchhar’s case, Netanyahu said Israelis would embrace the Indian pilot because of the lives his actions helped save.
The invitation represents one of the most significant international recognitions of Machchhar since the extraordinary incident aboard the flydubai aircraft.
During the call, Netanyahu asked the captain to describe what happened inside the cockpit.
Machchhar said his co-pilot had excused himself for prayers before he suddenly felt a powerful blow to the back of his head.
Initially, the captain thought something had gone wrong with the aircraft. But when the blows continued, he realised he was being attacked by the other pilot inside the cockpit.
The co-pilot has been identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami.
Machchhar said his vision was severely affected by the initial blows, making it difficult for him to defend himself.
Despite his injuries, he attempted to reach the cockpit door.
His first attempt failed when the co-pilot closed the door again.
Machchhar told Netanyahu that he realised he had one final opportunity to escape and summon help.
“If I don’t do it, I’m going to die,” he recalled thinking.
The injured captain then pushed towards the door with everything he had left and managed to open it.
That proved to be a crucial moment in the emergency.
Once the cockpit door was opened, people outside were able to enter and help overpower the alleged attacker.
The aircraft had descended more than 17,000 feet in approximately two minutes during the incident, and a hijacking distress signal was transmitted.
Machchhar’s ability to open the cockpit despite his injuries helped others intervene before the situation deteriorated further.
Netanyahu told the captain that he was amazed by both his courage and his ability to make decisions under extreme circumstances.
“You saved so many lives,” the Israeli Prime Minister told him.
Netanyahu also conveyed his and his wife’s wishes to Machchhar’s family and urged the pilot to focus on his recovery.
The Israeli leader had earlier said the actions of Machchhar, passengers and other crew members had prevented what he described as a potential “9/11 disaster”.
The September 30 incident has drawn international attention because of both the severity of the alleged cockpit attack and the consequences that could have followed had the attacker succeeded.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances and motive behind the attack.
Machchhar has meanwhile received recognition from leaders in several countries.
Prime Minister Modi has praised his courage, while Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum personally visited him in hospital and expressed the UAE leadership’s appreciation for his actions.
The latest recognition from Israel goes considerably further by inviting him to participate in one of the country’s most symbolic national ceremonies.
Torch-lighting is a central part of Israel’s Independence Day observances and is traditionally used to honour individuals considered to have made an exceptional contribution.
Netanyahu acknowledged during the conversation that the honour is generally reserved for Israelis but said Machchhar’s case warranted an exception.
The invitation also carries particular symbolism because the aircraft was travelling to Tel Aviv when the attack occurred.
For Machchhar, however, the immediate priority remains his recovery from the serious injuries sustained inside the cockpit.
His account of the incident has provided a clearer picture of how close he came to being incapacitated and how his final effort to reach the cockpit door allowed others to intervene.
What followed has transformed the Indian pilot from the captain of a commercial flight into the central figure in an extraordinary international aviation incident.
Netanyahu’s invitation now places his actions within Israel’s most prominent national ceremony.
The Israeli Prime Minister summed up that recognition directly during their conversation: Machchhar, he said, had become a hero not only for Israel or India, but “for the entire world.”
