Pilot Smit Machchhar is Super Hero of India- Modi
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi world leaders Praised Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar for fighting off his co-pilot, who allegedly attempted to crash the Dubai-Tel Aviv flydubai aircraft, saying India is “proud of him
PM Modi wrote in a post on X “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. His valour helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. India is proud of Captain Machchhar,” PM Modi wrote in a post on X. PM Modi further prayed for Machchhar’s “speedy recovery, renewed strength and good health”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Machchhar for his “extraordinary behaviour” and called him a “true hero”. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker – preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals,” Netanyahu wrote in a post on X.
US President Donald Trump also said. “The pilot was in very bad shape; I guess he still is in very bad shape, but he had the sense to, amazing, to, in a way he was a hero,” the Trump further called the co-pilot a “terrorist” and a “whack job”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also praised Machchhar for his “extraordinary courage”.
Machchhar, an Indian citizen, had been working with flydubai – a low-cost carrier owned by the Emirati government, for four years. He had worked for SpiceJet for 10 years before that.
On Wednesday morning (IST), the co-pilot of a flydubai flight – which was carrying over 170 passengers – tried to sabotage the aircraft and later stabbed Machchhar, who was trying to prevent him from doing so. At the time, the Boeing 737, cruising at about 34,000 feet, began dropping at roughly 23,000 feet per minute before reaching about 15,600 feet.
However, Machchhar fought back the co-pilot, resisted him, and opened the cockpit door so passengers and crew members could overpower him.
Upon landing, both the pilot and co-pilot were taken to a hospital, and passengers were treated at the airport terminal.(updated on 1st October 2026)
