Pilot Smit Machchhar praised by film stars after stopping mid-air attack on Flydubai flight

Actor Ajay Devgn and several other film personalities have praised Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery during a mid-air attack on flight FZ1073. Machchhar helped protect the lives of 174 people on board after being attacked by his co-pilot mid-flight.

Reactions

Ajay Devgn posted on X to call the pilot a hero and wish him strength and a speedy recovery. Shah Rukh Khan also applauded his courage, noting that he put his own safety on the line to protect passengers. Salman Khan shared a note on Friday night praising the pilot and saluting his actions. Filmmaker Karan Johar and actors Vicky Kaushal, Ranveer Singh, Paresh Rawal, R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda, and Ravi Kishan also posted messages of support and praised his bravery.

The Incident

Captain Smit Machchhar was flying Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, including 27 children. On September 30, while flying over Saudi Arabia, Machchhar was attacked and stabbed inside the cockpit by his co-pilot. Despite his injuries, Machchhar opened the cockpit door so passengers and crew could overpower the attacker. Two other pilots on the flight helped take control of the aircraft, which diverted and landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was hospitalized and later spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed about the incident.

Context

Commercial flight crews follow strict safety and security protocols to handle onboard emergencies, including unauthorized cockpit access. Incidents involving physical attacks by crew members remain extremely rare in commercial aviation history. Authorities generally investigate such mid-air security breaches thoroughly to review cockpit access rules and crew mental health checks.