Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar that his courage and quick response had upheld the reputation of Indian pilots while protecting passengers during the mid-air attack.
Speaking to the injured captain, PM Modi said Machchhar’s response had prevented a much worse outcome.
“Had this not happened, who knows what India would have had to face, what all Indian pilots would have had to endure, and how Indian pilots would have been viewed. You have saved everyone. You have done a very big thing,” the Prime Minister said.
PM Modi said the incident reflected the courage and values associated with Indians.
“The country can proudly say that Indians are not those who take lives, but those who are willing to risk their lives to save others,” he said.
Machchhar, 39, recalled the ordeal and told PM Modi that he kept reciting the Hanuman Chalisa while trying to fend off the attacker.
The captain received international praise after reportedly confronting his Omani co-pilot, who allegedly attempted to take control of the aircraft during the altercation.
Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to enter and restrain the attacker.
The response helped prevent what appeared to be an attempted hijacking of the Tel Aviv-bound flight, which was carrying more than 170 people.
The incident has drawn attention to pilot responsibility, particularly in the wake of the 2025 Air India AI171 crash in Ahmedabad.
The Boeing 787-8 crashed shortly after take-off on June 12, 2025, killing 241 of the 242 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
The investigation into the Flydubai incident remains underway, while the airline has temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel following the altercation.
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