From Neerja Bhanot to flydubai’s Smit Machchhar: 40 years apart, two Indian aviation heroes
Four decades apart, two Indian aviation professionals found themselves at the centre of life-threatening emergencies in the skies. Neerja Bhanot and Captain Smit Machchhar faced very different situations, but both took crucial actions that helped protect passengers when their aircraft were in grave danger. Neerja’s courage saved lives On September 5, 1986, Neerja Bhanot was the senior flight…
In 1986, Neerja Bhanot, a senior flight purser on Pan Am Flight 73, faced an armed hijacking. When the hijackers entered the aircraft, Bhanot alerted the cockpit crew, allowing the pilots to escape. She then used an emergency exit to help passengers, including three children, escape from the plane during a 17-hour ordeal. Tragically, Bhanot was killed while shielding the children. For her bravery, she was awarded the Ashoka Chakra.
In 2026, Captain Smit Machchhar, commanding flydubai Flight FZ1073, dealt with a different kind of emergency. An attempted terrorist act involving the co-pilot and a crash axe led to Machchhar being seriously injured. Despite his injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door and, with the help of passengers and crew, brought the situation under control.
The aircraft was safely diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar's quick actions saved lives and earned him praise from UAE officials, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
