Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy have praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar after a serious incident aboard a flydubai flight. Kalyan described him as a “true hero and proud son of Bharat”. The incident occurred on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on Wednesday.Machchhar was reportedly attacked by his co-pilot during the flight. Despite being seriously injured, he helped deal with the cockpit emergency, allowing passengers and crew to intervene. The aircraft was subsequently diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.What happened aboard the flydubai flight?Captain Smit Machchhar was operating flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when a confrontation broke out inside the cockpit. Reports said the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife before the situation was brought under control.The Boeing 737 experienced a sudden loss of altitude during the incident. Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door despite his injuries, enabling passengers and crew members to help restrain the co-pilot. The plane then made an emergency landing in Tabuk.What did Pawan Kalyan say about the pilot?Pawan Kalyan praised Machchhar for his actions during the emergency and referred to him as a “true hero and proud son of Bharat”. His remarks came as political leaders and public figures across India expressed support for the pilot following the flydubai incident.Prime Minister Narendra Modi also publicly praised Machchhar, saying the pilot showed courage and determination to protect the lives of others despite being seriously injured. President Droupadi Murmu separately described his response as an example of courage and presence of mind.What is known about Captain Smit Machchhar?Captain Smit Machchhar is an Indian commercial pilot from Mumbai. He has more than 13 years of commercial flying experience and has logged over 9,750 hours, primarily flying Boeing 737 aircraft.Machchhar previously worked with SpiceJet for more than a decade before joining flydubai as a captain in June 2022. He is currently receiving medical treatment in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and reports on Thursday said his condition was stable.What happened to the flight and co-pilot?The aircraft carrying more than 170 people was diverted to Tabuk after the cockpit incident and landed safely. The co-pilot was arrested by Saudi authorities following the emergency landing, while the circumstances surrounding the incident are being investigated.The incident has drawn international attention, with leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also praising Machchhar for his actions. Reports have credited the pilot, passengers and crew with helping prevent a potentially serious aviation disaster.
