Stories
Hero Pilot Smit Machchhar's Wife Shares Ordeal, PM Modi's Call, and Global Praise
- •Sonal Machchhar, wife of hero pilot Smit Machchhar, spoke about his recovery and the overwhelming global support after the flydubai hijack scare.
- •Smit, captain of Flydubai Flight FZ1073, was stabbed by his co-pilot while preventing a "9/11-type" terror incident, squawking hijack codes and saving 174 lives.
- •Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Smit and his family, offering personal assurance that "means everything" to them, praising his courage and composure.
- •Smit is recovering in the UAE, with his family deliberately avoiding questions about the incident to prevent reliving the trauma.
- •Sonal expressed gratitude for prayers from India and Israel, and confirmed that Smit will speak with Mr. Netanyahu once fully recovered.
Key Questions Answered
Captain Smit Machchhar was the pilot of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when he was stabbed in the cockpit by his Omani co-pilot while preventing a terror incident. He successfully squawked two hijack codes to air traffic control over Saudi Arabia and safely landed the aircraft in Tabuk with all 174 passengers surviving.
Smit Machchhar is recovering well under the care of UAE doctors and military medical teams after being transferred to the United Arab Emirates for further treatment. His family has intentionally avoided asking him about the traumatic cockpit attack to prevent him from reliving flashbacks during his recovery.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Smit and his parents via video call to praise the pilot's courage, composure, and presence of mind during the attack. Smit told the Prime Minister that he was his biggest idol and recited the Hanuman Chalisa during the incident.
