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Trump Hails Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar as 'Hero' After Flydubai Incident
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News18•01-10-2026, 08:24
Trump Hails Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar as 'Hero' After Flydubai Incident
- •US President Donald Trump praised Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for resisting a knife attack by his co-pilot on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, calling him a "hero."
- •Trump recounted his conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, describing how the pilot, despite being in "very bad shape," managed to alert others.
- •The co-pilot, described as potentially a "terrorist or perhaps a whack job," stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar, who fought back to prevent a potential "9/11-style" attack.
- •An Israeli plumber, with no prior flying experience but knowledge from watching "Air Disasters," intervened, helping to overpower the co-pilot and avert a major tragedy.
- •The Flydubai aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where authorities took control, and Israel is investigating the incident as a "terrorist attack."
Key Questions Answered
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was hailed as a hero by US President Donald Trump for resisting a knife attack by his co-pilot and helping prevent a potential 9/11-style crash on a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
An Israeli passenger, who was a plumber with no flying experience, intervened by pulling the co-pilot out of his seat and helping restrain him, using basic flight knowledge he learned from watching the television program Air Disasters.
The Flydubai aircraft was diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, following the intervention by passengers and the Indian pilot before ground authorities took control.
