Captain Smit Machchhar is receiving international praise for his extraordinary courage after he reportedly fought off an attacker aboard a FlyDubai flight despite being seriously injured, helping prevent what could have been a major tragedy and saving the lives of passengers and crew.
According to reports, the co-pilot attacked and stabbed Captain Machchhar while the aircraft was in the air and began losing altitude. Despite his injuries, the Indian pilot managed to fight back and open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to rush in and overpower the attacker. Seriously wounded, Machchhar was stabilised until the aircraft made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
The incident has drawn praise from diplomats including Argentina’s Ambassador to India Mariano Caucino, Sri Lankan High Commissioner Mahishini Colonne and the Israeli Embassy in India. Caucino described Machchhar as embodying India’s “sense of courage and duty” and said, “The World is proud of you.” The Israeli Embassy also thanked him for helping save Israeli passengers, while Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon called him “a true hero” and wished him a speedy recovery. The bravery of the passengers and crew who intervened has also been highlighted as an important part of averting the disaster.
