{
  "id": 11088312,
  "title": "\"Proud\": PM Modi Praises \"Hero\" Indian Pilot For Fighting Off Hijack Scare",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/proud-pm-modi-praises-hero-indian-pilot-for-fighting-off-hijack-scare",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T02:32:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "NDTV - India News",
    "slug": "ndtv-india-news",
    "url": "https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/captain-smit-machchhar-showed-immense-courage-on-flydubai-plane-pm-modi-praises-indian-pilot-12122858"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen, has been praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a \"hero\" for his actions during a security incident on a flydubai flight. The flight, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the incident, which the UAE authorities described as a security issue.\n\nAccording to the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority, some crew members were injured and taken to hospital. Modi, in a post on X, said Machchhar showed \"immense courage\" and \"an unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others\" despite being seriously injured.\n\nMachchhar had been working with flydubai, a low-cost carrier owned by the Emirati government, for four years. Modi prayed for Machchhar's speedy recovery, renewed strength, and good health.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "‘Perhaps a terrorist or a whack-job’: Trump on flydubai attack, hails Indian Capt Smit Machchhar as hero",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/perhaps-a-terrorist-or-a-whack-job-trump-on-flydubai-attack-hails",
        "published": "2026-10-01T00:49:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times",
        "title": "‘India is proud of Captain Machchhar’: PM Modi hails flydubai pilot, hopes for his speedy recovery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/india-is-proud-of-captain-machchhar-pm-modi-hails-flydubai-pilot",
        "published": "2026-10-01T01:42:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express - India",
        "title": "PM Modi praises Indian pilot who foiled co-pilot’s bid to crash flydubai flight",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/pm-modi-praises-indian-pilot-who-foiled-co-pilots-bid-to-crash",
        "published": "2026-10-01T01:53:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "NDTV",
        "title": "\"Was In Very Bad Shape But...'': Trump Praises flydubai's 'Hero' Indian Pilot",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/was-in-very-bad-shape-but-trump-praises-flydubais-hero-indian-pilot",
        "published": "2026-10-01T02:06:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "'India is proud': PM Modi praises flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar as ‘hero’ after Tabuk emergency landing",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/india-is-proud-pm-modi-praises-flydubai-pilot-smit-machchhar-as-hero",
        "published": "2026-10-01T02:55:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Modi hails 'hero' Indian pilot after flydubai cockpit attack",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/modi-hails-hero-indian-pilot-after-flydubai-cockpit-attack",
        "published": "2026-10-01T03:03:26.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}