‘Recited Hanuman Chalisa’: Indian pilot stabbed on flydubai flight tells PM Modi on video call

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed and injured by the Omani co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to footage from inside the flight, Machchhar can be heard saying "He hit me" after being injured. Passengers and crew intervened to stop the alleged attempt to crash the aircraft, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely.

Machchhar later spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a video call, sharing his personal experience and what gave him courage during the incident. Modi praised Machchhar as a "hero" for his actions, saying he showed "immense courage" and an unwavering determination to protect others despite suffering serious injuries. Modi also told Machchhar that India is proud of him.

Machchhar reportedly recited the Hanuman Chalisa during the incident, which gave him the strength to cope with the situation. He became emotional during the interaction with Modi, who wished him a speedy recovery, renewed strength, and good health. Flydubai has confirmed that an altercation occurred in the flight deck, but the airline has not publicly endorsed specific accounts about how the confrontation began or its motive.

Brief written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times, NDTV, Free Press Journal, Live Mint, Arabian Post — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.