Netanyahu salutes Indian pilot for stopping cockpit attack
· World · Times of India, India Today, NDTV
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for preventing a cockpit takeover on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Machchhar, an Indian national based in Dubai, was stabbed and seriously wounded while resisting the co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash the aircraft. He opened the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to subdue the attacker and avert a disaster. The flight made an emergency landing at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, and 174 lives were saved. Passengers were later flown back to Israel on a rescue flight that landed at Ben Gurion International Airport. Netanyahu said evidence indicated the co-pilot intended to damage the aircraft's systems and that Saudi authorities were interrogating the suspect.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the vulnerability of commercial flights to in-flight security threats and the critical role of crew and passenger intervention. It also underscores international cooperation in aviation safety, with Israeli, Indian, and Saudi authorities involved in the response.
Read the original report — Times of India
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