Well done, bro: Salman Khan praises flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar for heroics

Bollywood actor Salman Khan has praised flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery during the dramatic incident involving an Israel-bound flight, calling him a hero and saying he would be honoured to fly with him.

Taking to X, Salman wrote: “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt Smit Machchhar.” (You did an amazing job, pilot sir. We all salute you. It will be a pleasure to fly with you. Well done, bro. Capt Smit Machchhar).

Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to crash the flydubai plane. The flydubai flight FZ1073 was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when it transmitted emergency signals on Wednesday.

The aircraft made a sharp descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Saudi Arabia's Tabuk city. The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children.

Videos circulating on social media showed Machchhar drenched in blood, wearing an oxygen mask and lying on his back in the galley of the aircraft.

In a video call with PM Narendra Modi on Friday, Machchhar, who was in an Abu Dhabi hospital, replayed the dramatic attack and described his desperate effort to open the cockpit door and seek help.

Machchhar appeared with a tube in his nose and bandages on his head and hands during the nearly 10-minute clip released on PM Modi’s social media channels. He wiped away tears as he narrated his ordeal.

“I knew that the aircraft was going down ... I had fallen to the ground. I told myself that the door is right there, just open it. I managed to do it and people entered,” he said.

Machchhar said he had been flying for 17 years and had served as a captain for 11 years.

“I have been flying for the last 17 years, have been a captain for the last 11 years. I knew that the aircraft was going down,” he said.

PM Modi praised Machchhar’s bravery and said his presence of mind saved lives and protected the reputation of Indian pilots.

An emotional Machchhar told Modi, “I know God saved me.” Machchhar, who is from Gujarat, also told the Prime Minister that he recited a Hindu prayer to the monkey god Hanuman during the ordeal.- Ends