Indian PM hails ‘hero’ flydubai pilot for averting disaster
Narendra Modi says that despite being seriously injured, Indian pilot Smit Machchhar showed courage to protect passengers on the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India praised Captain Smit Machchhar as a "hero" following a harrowing in-flight incident on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Captain Machchhar sustained injuries while battling his co-pilot to maintain control of the aircraft. All 174 passengers, the majority of whom were Israeli, were safely evacuated from the plane.
Modi commended the captain's courage and resolve, stating that he saved hundreds of lives and prevented a major disaster. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also lauded Machchhar's bravery, describing him as a "superhero in the sky." Captured from Mumbai, Machchhar has over a decade of experience flying Boeing 737 aircraft for flydubai, having joined the airline in 2022.
He has previously worked for Indian airline SpiceJet. Machchhar shared in a 2025 podcast that he developed an interest in aviation while studying management and described his first commercial flight as "scary" but manageable with the right mindset.
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