NEW DELHI: Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar has drawn praise worldwide for his immense bravery after saving the lives of 174 passengers despite being stabbed mid-flight. During a hospital bed conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Machchhar shared how reciting the Hanuman Chalisa gave him strength during the life-threatening ordeal.
to the incident, Hanuman Ansh actor Shobhinaw Satyaa praised the pilot for sharing his faith openly, stating that it has made believers’ faith even stronger. Speaking to India Today, Satyaa said, “We have grown up listening to stories of bravery. But those stories often made us feel that such things happened a long time ago, that there were people like that in the past. Incidents like these remind us that heroes still exist.”
Emphasising the impact of the pilot’s testimony, Satyaa added, “The bigger thing was that he also made us realise the power of the Hanuman Chalisa. When that man recited the Hanuman Chalisa there, he touched upon something that is a matter of faith for us. I thanked him a lot for bringing this out in the open. He made our faith, which was already so strong, even more unshakeable.”
Attack and Miraculous Escape Mid-Flight
The mid-flight incident occurred when Machchhar’s Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit during a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, leaving him severely injured. Following the assault, the aircraft went into a steep descent.
Recalling the harrowing moments during his video call with PM Modi, Machchhar explained how he gathered courage despite his injuries. “I was fighting for my life. I realised at that time that if I won’t show courage, then 170 passengers will lose their lives,” Machchhar told the Prime Minister.
He further shared that reciting the Hanuman Chalisa in those difficult moments helped him pull through. “Lord Hanuman gave me courage,” he stated.
Describing how he managed to save the aircraft, Machchhar said, “I knew that the aircraft was going down … I had fallen to the ground. I told myself that the door is right there, just open it. I managed to do it, and people entered.”
After Machchhar opened the cockpit door, passengers rushed in and helped restrain the attacker. The flight was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
