Captain Smit Machchhar: This man is a hero

This man is a hero.

Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian captain of flydubai Flight 1073, fought back after being stabbed in the cockpit.

Despite being severely injured, he managed to unlock the cockpit door – allowing Israeli passengers and the Emirati crew to intervene and save all the passengers.

Together, their extraordinary courage saved 174 lives.

Indian. Israeli. Emirati.

Different nationalities. One extraordinary act of courage. 🇮🇳🇮🇱🇦🇪

We wish Captain Machchhar a full and speedy recovery.

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) September 30, 2026