Captain Smit Machchhar is being hailed as a hero after he successfully defended his flight from a violent, life-threatening attack by his own co-pilot. Two and a half hours into a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, the co-pilot turned on Machchhar, stabbing him and sending the aircraft into a terrifying 17,000-foot descent.
Despite being severely injured and pinned to the floor, Machchhar refused to give up, summoning the strength to unlock the cockpit door so that crew and passengers could intervene and neutralize the attacker. His quick thinking and decisive action allowed the flight to be diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have both commended the captain for his extraordinary bravery and calm under pressure. Machchhar, a veteran pilot with 17 years of experience, remains in stable condition and is recovering from his injuries, maintaining a resilient outlook on his path to health.
His refusal to let the attacker succeed prevented what could have been a catastrophic loss of life.
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