New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage during a dramatic mid-air emergency involving a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Referring to the incident, Modi said that, according to the Israeli Prime Minister, “an Indian prevented a 9/11-style tragedy.”
Modi made the remarks while addressing the centenary celebrations of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. He described Machchhar’s conduct as an example of remarkable patience, presence of mind and courage despite sustaining serious injuries.
“The incident that occurred yesterday, Captain Smit of India demonstrated remarkable patience, presence of mind, and courage; indeed, as the Prime Minister of Israel stated today, an Indian prevented a 9/11-style tragedy,” Modi said, according to reports of his address.
Captain Smit Machchhar has shown the world the highest form of courage.
Without fearing for his own life, he fought valiantly and prevented another 9/11 like attack from happening.
140 crore Indians salute Captain Smit and are praying for his well-being. pic.twitter.com/YGTA9CFCAg
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2026
What happened aboard the Flydubai flight?
Captain Machchhar was flying Flydubai Flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. The aircraft was carrying 174 people.
According to Reuters and Israeli officials, a confrontation broke out inside the cockpit after the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a sharp weapon. During the struggle, the aircraft rapidly lost altitude—Reuters reported a drop of nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and crew members then entered the cockpit and helped overpower the other pilot, according to accounts cited by Reuters and Israeli officials. Other Flydubai pilots who were travelling as passengers subsequently helped bring the aircraft under control.
The aircraft diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. All 174 people aboard survived. Captain Machchhar was taken to hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
Netanyahu also praised the Indian captain
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly praised Machchhar, crediting him with helping prevent a catastrophic mid-air disaster.
Netanyahu said the Indian pilot, despite being stabbed and seriously injured, fought back, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. He said Machchhar’s actions helped save the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
Modi subsequently highlighted Netanyahu’s description while praising the Indian pilot.
Modi speaks to Machchhar’s family
The Prime Minister also said he had spoken with Machchhar’s parents and wife to enquire about his condition. Modi said Indian authorities were extending assistance to the injured pilot and appealed to citizens to pray for his recovery.
In an earlier message, Modi had described Machchhar as a “HERO”, saying that despite being seriously injured, he displayed courage and determination to protect the lives of others.
Investigation into the incident continues
While Israeli officials have described the incident as an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft, authorities have not yet released a final reconstruction establishing the motive or every detail of what happened inside the cockpit.
Reuters reported that passengers and crew foiled an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft, while other reports noted that the investigation into the circumstances and motive remained ongoing. Therefore, descriptions of the episode as a deliberate “9/11-style attack” should be attributed to the statements of Israeli officials and Modi rather than presented as a completed finding of investigators.
The incident has nevertheless drawn international attention to the actions of Captain Smit Machchhar, whose response, together with the intervention of passengers, crew and other pilots on board, helped bring the aircraft safely to the ground.
