Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 2 (ANI): Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting the prestigious Ashok Chakra for Captain Smit Machchhar, the Mumbai-born pilot who showed exemplary courage during a recent flydubai mid-air crisis in a flight operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Sharing the letter on X on behalf of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Shiv Sena, Deora praised Captain Machchhar as a "son of Mumbai who showed extraordinary courage when it mattered most."
"Faced with an unimaginable situation in mid-air, he put the lives of others before his own and continued to act despite being seriously wounded," Deora wrote, noting that the act embodies the highest levels of courage, selflessness, and duty.
The September 30 security crisis involved the flydubai flight operating from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the commander in an apparent terror-driven attempt to bring down the plane. The confrontation triggered a steep descent, causing the aircraft to drop approximately 16,000 feet within two minutes prior to the transmission of a hijacking distress signal.
Despite sustaining severe injuries, Captain Smit Machchhar fiercely resisted the assailant. Assisted by flight crew members and passengers who breached the flight deck to restrain the attacker, the crew successfully reasserted command of the aircraft. The plane subsequently touched down safely during an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, ensuring that all 180 occupants disembarked without injury.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to pilot Captain Smit Machchaar.
Captain Machchhar gave details of his experience to the Prime Minister and spoke of what gave him courage during the incident. The PM applauded his bravery and wished him a quick recovery.
According to India's envoy to the UAE, Dipak Mittal, Captain Smit Machchhar is in a stable condition and is recovering well in a UAE hospital.
Dipak Mittal, who met the injured pilot and his family in a hospital here, said Smit Machchhar’s morale is high, and he was “smiling and also laughing”.
Speaking to Prasar Bharati following his visit to the hospital, the Ambassador said that the captain is receiving good treatment and the Indian Embassy is in constant touch with the officials.
"I just met him along with his family here, in the hospital, in the UAE, and he's doing well. I was very relieved to see, and very reassured, that he's doing well; he's quite stable. He was talking, he was chatting, a bit of discomfort, but I think he's under good medical care here in the UAE," Mittal told Prasar Bharati.
Describing Captain Machchhar as a "brave son of India," the envoy commended his courageous response during the mid-air emergency, noting that his actions saved hundreds of lives and prevented a major catastrophe. (ANI)
Maharashtra: Milind Deora writes to PM Modi, seeks Ashok Chakra for Capt Smit Machchhar after flydubai flight bravery
