NEW DELHI, Oct. 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his actions during the mid-air attack aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, saying his courage despite serious injuries helped save hundreds of lives and avert a major tragedy.
“Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO,” Modi said in a post on X, adding that the pilot showed “immense courage” and an unwavering determination to protect others despite being seriously wounded. The Prime Minister said India was proud of Machchhar and wished him a speedy recovery and good health.
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The praise came a day after a violent confrontation inside the cockpit of flydubai Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
According to accounts of the incident cited by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot during an alleged attempt to take control of the aircraft and crash it. The motive and precise circumstances remain under investigation.
Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar resisted the alleged attacker and helped create an opportunity for passengers and crew to enter the cockpit and overpower him, according to Netanyahu’s account.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also publicly addressed the incident, praising the actions that prevented the flight from ending in catastrophe. His intervention brought international attention to the episode as authorities continued investigating the circumstances of the cockpit attack and the motive behind it.
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The aircraft then diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Saudi authorities took the alleged attacker into custody.
Flight data cited in subsequent reports indicates the aircraft was cruising at about 34,000 feet when it entered a dramatic descent during the cockpit confrontation. NDTV’s analysis said the jet lost around 14,300 feet in approximately 37 seconds before the aircraft was stabilised.
The incident has drawn international attention not only because of the circumstances inside the cockpit but also because of the intervention by passengers and crew.
US President Donald Trump also publicly praised Machchhar. Trump said he had discussed the incident with Netanyahu and called the Indian captain a hero. Trump characterised the alleged attacker as possibly a terrorist or someone acting irrationally, but investigators have not publicly established a motive.
Machchhar is an experienced Boeing 737 pilot with more than 13 years in commercial aviation.
He has worked with flydubai for about four years after spending around a decade with Indian carrier SpiceJet. His professional profile lists more than 9,750 flying hours, and he has previously served extensively as a line training captain.
The incident has also renewed debate within the aviation industry over whether commercial aircraft should be fitted with cockpit video recorders.
Aircraft already carry cockpit voice and flight data recorders, but there is no comparable general requirement for cockpit cameras. Advocates argue that video could provide investigators with important evidence in cases involving physical confrontations or deliberate actions inside a cockpit. Pilots’ organisations have historically raised privacy and potential misuse concerns.
For India, however, attention on Thursday centred on Machchhar and his recovery.
Modi said the captain had demonstrated courage in circumstances involving both immediate personal danger and the lives of those aboard the aircraft.
“His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy,” the Prime Minister said.
The circumstances surrounding the alleged attack, including the co-pilot’s motive and the complete sequence of events inside the cockpit, remain matters for investigators.
What is established from the accounts released so far is that Machchhar suffered serious injuries during the confrontation, passengers and crew intervened, and the aircraft ultimately landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Modi’s intervention has now given the episode particular resonance in India, turning the focus from the extraordinary aviation emergency itself to the Indian captain whose actions during those critical moments have drawn praise from leaders in India and abroad.
