Wounded but unbroken, the pilot who saved 174 lives earns the nation's salute.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke by phone on Friday with Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot of the flydubai flight, and praised his courage. Captain Machchhar's bravery helped save the lives of 180 people on board, including the crew. During the call, Modi asked him for a full account of what happened and how he managed to face the danger and keep his nerve in such difficult circumstances. The Prime Minister also wished him a speedy recovery.

The incident took place on Wednesday, when a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was allegedly targeted in an attempt to crash it. The accused was the co-pilot himself, who attacked Captain Machchhar with a sharp object. Despite being badly injured, the captain mustered the strength to open the cockpit door. Some passengers then entered the cockpit and overpowered the attacker, after which the aircraft was brought down for a safe landing. Of the 174 passengers on board, 150 were Israeli citizens.

On Thursday, Modi had already praised the pilot in a social media post, calling him a hero. He wrote that despite the extremely dangerous situation and his serious injuries, Captain Machchhar showed remarkable courage to protect others, that his bravery saved hundreds of lives and averted a major tragedy, and that India is proud of him. Modi added that the country is praying for his quick recovery. The Prime Minister also spoke with the pilot's wife and parents, commending his courage and assuring them that the Indian mission is providing every possible assistance.

Leaders around the world have also hailed the captain. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saluted him, saying that although he was gravely wounded, he opened the cockpit door and gave passengers the chance to subdue the attacker, preventing a major tragedy and saving 174 lives, among them many Israelis. Netanyahu also wished him a swift recovery. US President Donald Trump likewise praised the pilot's courage and called him a hero.

Related coverage notes that, while speaking with Modi, the pilot became emotional and credited Lord Hanuman with saving him and everyone on board. Other reports include accounts from friends and colleagues who say they never saw him panic, new video footage showing him bloodied after the attack, and an incident in which the AI tool Grok mistranslated his name before acknowledging the error following criticism from users.