Israeli tributes praise Indian flydubai captain after cockpit attack

Israeli users have paid tribute to flydubai captain Smit Machchhar after a cockpit attack during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Social media posts described the Indian pilot as a hero and thanked him for actions that Israeli authorities said helped prevent a catastrophe involving more than 170 passengers. Reports said the co-pilot attacked and stabbed Machchhar inside the cockpit.

Israeli journalist Neria Kraus said Machchhar fought his colleague and managed to open the cockpit door. The supplied report also said the aircraft descended thousands of metres before a reserve crew and passengers intervened and landed it safely. These details were attributed to reports and officials cited in the source material.

The Indian embassy said it was monitoring Machchhar’s condition and was in contact with his family. It said he was stable and expressed hope for his recovery. Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Machchhar a hero, saying his courage while seriously injured helped save hundreds of lives and avert a tragedy.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praised the captain’s bravery. US President Donald Trump said Machchhar had taken control and levelled the aircraft before it could crash. The source says Machchhar joined flydubai in 2022 after working for SpiceJet and has about 9,750 hours flying Boeing 737 aircraft, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The report describes the co-pilot as having intended to crash the aircraft, but the supplied material does not provide details of charges or the investigation.