Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was at the controls of the Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight when he was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit. (Photo: X)

Israel to honour Captain Smit for his valour during flydubai attack: Israeli envoy

Captain Smit Machchhar's bravery aboard the attacked flydubai flight has won praise in Israel, with envoy Reuven Azar calling him a "great hero" and saying the country will honour the Indian pilot for helping save 174 lives despite his injuries.

by · India Today

Israel will honour Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage during the attack aboard a nearly doomed flydubai flight, Israeli Ambassador to India, Reuven Azar said on Thursday, calling the Indian pilot a “great hero” for helping save the lives of passengers despite being seriously injured.

“He indeed is a great hero. And India and Israel are great partners in the war. We will find a way to recognise him,” Azar said in an exclusive conversation with India Today.

The ambassador also said the pilot’s actions had resonated across Israel, with people, as well as the country’s leadership, taking note of his courage. “Israel does not forget its friends, those who are with Israel in times of crisis,” Azar said.

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was at the controls of the Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight when he was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit. The aircraft, carrying 174 people, went into a steep descent as the attack unfolded, leaving passengers and crew scrambling to prevent a catastrophe.

An Israeli passenger, Yaniv Hayun, and another passenger managed to enter the cockpit and pull the co-pilot away from the controls. Hayun later told India Today that Machchhar was lying injured on the cockpit floor while the co-pilot appeared to be interfering with the aircraft’s systems.

As passengers restrained the attacker, the Indian pilot, despite his injuries, was able to play a crucial role in the effort to regain control of the aircraft. Two off-duty pilots travelling as passengers eventually took over the controls and helped stabilise the flight.

The aircraft was then diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was taken to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

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