The Gujarat government has announced a state honour for Indian commercial pilot Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured while confronting his Omani co-pilot during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, PTI reported.
The state government will confer the ‘Visisht Gujarat Garima Award' on Machchhar in recognition of his courage and actions during the incident.
The pilot was stabbed by his co-pilot during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight but continued to resist the attack despite sustaining serious injuries, helping prevent a potentially serious incident.
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The stabbing took place inside the cockpit. The flight was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. All 174 passengers on board were reported safe.
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Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said Machchhar's actions had earned admiration around the world and praised him for protecting the lives of passengers despite being severely injured.
“The courage of Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot of the flight headed to Israel, is being saluted by the entire world today,” Patel said in a post on X.
The chief minister said Machchhar had brought recognition to Gujarat and India through his actions and described the award as a tribute to his “extraordinary act of bravery and humanity”.
Patel also said that prayers and support from people across the country were with the pilot as he continues to recover from his injuries.
A special prayer was also held at the Somnath Temple in Gujarat for Machchhar's speedy recovery.
Modi, Netanyahu And Trump Praise Pilot
Machchhar has received praise from several prominent leaders following the incident, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
Modi described the pilot as a “HERO” and said Machchhar had demonstrated remarkable patience, presence of mind and courage during the attack.
The prime minister said his actions helped save hundreds of lives and prevent a potentially major tragedy.
Netanyahu also praised Machchhar's bravery, saying the pilot continued to fight back after being stabbed and seriously injured.
According to the account cited by Netanyahu, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene against the attacker.
Trump similarly called the Indian pilot a hero and praised him for seeking assistance despite suffering serious injuries.
Pilot's Aviation Background
Machchhar, a Mumbaikar from Ghatkopar, is a commercial pilot with extensive flying experience. He trained in New Zealand for his commercial pilot licence and later obtained a Boeing 737 type rating from FSTC in Manesar, Haryana.
He spent around a decade with SpiceJet before joining flydubai in 2022. Machchhar, who is in his mid-30s, comes from a family with aviation links; his brother is also a flydubai pilot.
Machchhar remains under medical care as he recovers from injuries sustained during the cockpit confrontation.
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