‘Captain Smit Machchhar is a hero’: PM Modi hails brave FlyDubai pilot for ‘averting a major tragedy’ | Today’s news
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed as a hero Captain Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by his colleague with the intention of bringing down the plane with more than 170 passengers.
“Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO,” Modi wrote in X’s post. “In the face of gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and unwavering determination to protect the lives of others.”
The prime minister also said that Captain Machchhar’s “courage helped save hundreds of lives and avert a major tragedy”. — India is proud of Captain Machchhar.
“I pray for his speedy recovery, new strength and good health,” he added.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised the Indian pilot for his “extraordinary bravery”. l
“I salute Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery,” Netanyahu wrote. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door and allowed the passengers and crew to overpower the attacker – preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster.”
What happened?
The pilot of a jet carrying more than 170 passengers to Tel Aviv stabbed his colleague, Captain Smit Machchhar, and tried to crash the plane.
Disaster was narrowly avoided after passengers and crew rushed into the cockpit of a FlyDubai flight that had taken off in Dubai and managed to stabilize the jet after it plummeted more than 14,000 feet (4,300 meters) in less than 30 seconds at near the speed of sound.
The jet later made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the attacker, whose identity has not been released, is being questioned by local authorities.
