Shah Rukh Khan has praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind after he helped protect passengers on a Flydubai flight despite being attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot mid-air. The actor took to X to acknowledge Machchhar’s actions, highlighting how the pilot put the safety of those onboard ahead of his own.
Shah Rukh wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty. Wishing you a speedy recovery, the country is proud of you…”
Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty.…
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) October 3, 2026
Captain Smit Machchhar was operating Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The flight had 174 people onboard, including 27 children. On September 30, while the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia, Machchhar was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit.
Despite sustaining serious injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. His actions allowed passengers and crew members to intervene and overpower the attacker. Two other pilots who were travelling on the flight subsequently helped take control of the aircraft.
The flight was diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Machchhar was taken to a hospital for treatment following the incident.
From his hospital bed, Machchhar later spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and recounted the events. During the conversation, he explained how he opened the cockpit door despite his injuries, enabling others to intervene and stop the attacker. His actions helped prevent further danger to the passengers and crew onboard the flight.
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