Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Captain Smit Machchhar through a video call on Friday and praised the Indian pilot for his courage, presence of mind and composure after he was allegedly stabbed by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv.
During the interaction, Machchhar became emotional and told Modi that speaking to him was a “very special moment”. The pilot also told the Prime Minister that he was his “biggest idol”, HT has learnt.
Modi told Machchhar that the entire country was praying for his recovery and praised the way he acted during the mid-air crisis. The PM said the country could proudly say that Indians are not those who take lives but those who are willing to risk their lives to save others.
Hanuman Chalisa gave him courage
During the video call, Machchhar told Modi that whenever he is in difficulty, he recites the Hanuman Chalisa. He said he was reciting the Hanuman Chalisa during the difficult moments aboard the flydubai flight as well.
Machchhar said receiving the PM's call made him extremely proud and that he had never imagined he would get an opportunity to speak with Modi. Modi also spoke about Machchhar's mother, Geeta Ben, saying she had raised him with the values and teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
{{/usCountry}}Machchhar said receiving the PM's call made him extremely proud and that he had never imagined he would get an opportunity to speak with Modi. Modi also spoke about Machchhar's mother, Geeta Ben, saying she had raised him with the values and teachings of the Bhagavad Gita.
{{/usCountry}}The conversation came as Machchhar continued to recover from injuries sustained in Wednesday's attack. He was moved from Saudi Arabia to the United Arab Emirates on Thursday for further treatment.
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What happened on the flydubai flight
Machchhar was the captain of flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 passengers on board. While the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia, his Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked and stabbed him inside the cockpit.
Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar is said to have managed to unlock the cockpit door. This allowed passengers and crew to enter and overpower the attacker. A plumber then allegedly took control of the aircraft as it was nose-diving and other pilots on the plane then diverted it to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft went into a sharp descent during the incident, losing more than 14,000 feet in less than a minute. The aircraft eventually landed safely in Tabuk.
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Machchhar averted ‘9/11’ style attack: Modi
On Thursday, Modi said Machchhar displayed remarkable patience, presence of mind and courage during the emergency.
Speaking at an event marking the centenary of the Union Public Service Commission in New Delhi, Modi said Machchhar's actions had helped avert what he described as a “9/11-style tragedy”. The remark referred to the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, when hijacked aircraft were used to strike targets, killing nearly 3,000 people.
Modi also spoke to Machchhar's wife and parents and assured them that Indian missions were providing all possible assistance, HT reported earlier.
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President Droupadi Murmu also praised the pilot, saying the nation was proud of him and that his courage and presence of mind had touched people across the country.
Benjamin Netanyahu likewise praised Machchhar, describing the incident as an “amazing act of heroism” and saying the actions of the Indian pilot and others on board had helped prevent a potentially major disaster.
Smit Machchhar moved to UAE for treatment
Machchhar was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk after the emergency landing. He underwent treatment there before being moved to the UAE on Thursday.
The Indian mission in the UAE said it was coordinating closely with local authorities over his medical care. Ambassador Deepak Mittal met Machchhar and his family at the hospital and said the pilot was recovering well.
His parents, Upendra and Gita, travelled to the UAE to be with him, while his wife Sonal and their two children were already with him.
Machchhar has more than a decade of flying experience and previously worked with SpiceJet before joining Flydubai. He trained as a pilot in New Zealand.
The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, has not been publicly named.