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US Lawmakers Hail Indian Pilot Machchhar as 'Hero' for Saving 174 Lives on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight
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News18•01-10-2026, 21:45
US Lawmakers Hail Indian Pilot Machchhar as 'Hero' for Saving 174 Lives on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight
- •US lawmakers and experts lauded Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as a ‘hero’ for fending off a co-pilot's attack and saving 174 lives on a Dubai-Tel Aviv aircraft.
- •Experts drew parallels between Machchhar’s heroism and Captain Chelsea ‘Sully’ Sullenberger's ‘Miracle on the Hudson’ landing.
- •Senator Steve Daines and Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra praised Machchhar, with Senator Tim Sheehy suggesting Machchhar sent an emergency signal during the struggle.
- •Congresswoman Nancy Mace, Congressman Steny Hoyer, and Congressman Marlin Stutzman all applauded Machchhar's bravery and life-saving actions.
- •John Spencer of the Urban Warfare Institute called Machchhar an ‘Indian version of Sully,’ highlighting his role in thwarting a potential tragedy.
Key Questions Answered
US lawmakers and experts hailed Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as a hero for successfully fending off an attack by his co-pilot and saving the lives of 174 passengers and crew members on board a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
US Senator Tim Sheehy noted that Captain Smit Machchhar may have managed to change the aircraft's squawk code while fighting off the co-pilot, effectively transmitting an emergency signal to air traffic control.
Experts drew parallels between Captain Machchhar and Captain Chelsea 'Sully' Sullenberger, who famously landed a US Airways plane on the Hudson River in January 2009 after a bird hit caused engine failure.
