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Raveena Tandon shared multiple posts on her Instagram stories, appreciating Smit Machchhar for his courage and bravery during the emergency situation.
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Moneycontrol•01-10-2026, 15:58
Bollywood Stars, PM Modi Laud Pilot Smit Machchhar for Heroic Flydubai Incident Actions
  • •Indian pilot Smit Machchhar received widespread praise from Bollywood celebrities like Sonam Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, and Kangana Ranaut for his bravery during a Flydubai flight incident.
  • •Machchhar was reportedly attacked by his co-pilot mid-flight but, despite injuries, maintained control and ensured the safety of all 174 people on board.
  • •Kangana Ranaut and Sonam Kapoor shared posts acknowledging Machchhar's courage, with Kapoor drawing parallels to her role as Neerja Bhanot.
  • •Prime Minister Narendra Modi also lauded Machchhar during a UPSC event, highlighting his patience, presence of mind, and courage in preventing a potential tragedy.
  • •The incident occurred on September 30, 2026, on Flydubai flight FZ1073, where Machchhar, though stabbed, managed to subdue the attacker and land the aircraft safely.

Key Questions Answered

Smit Machchhar is an Indian pilot who was flying Flydubai flight FZ1073 on September 30, 2026, when he was allegedly attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot mid-air. Despite his severe injuries, he maintained control, opened the cockpit door for help, and helped ensure the safe landing of all 174 people on board.

Several Bollywood celebrities including Sonam Kapoor, Raveena Tandon, Kangana Ranaut, Shamita Shetty, and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni praised Captain Smit Machchhar on social media for his bravery. Additionally, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chef Kunal Kapoor also lauded his immense courage, presence of mind, and composure during the crisis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Captain Smit Machchhar during the UPSC centenary celebrations at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi for demonstrating remarkable patience, presence of mind, and courage. Citing the Israeli Prime Minister, Modi noted that the Indian pilot's actions prevented a 9/11-style tragedy while keeping his composure despite serious injuries.