Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Captain Smit Machchhar via a video call on Friday, according to an Indian Express report. Their conversation comes a day after the Indian leader hailed him as a “Hero” for showing “immense courage and an unwavering resolve” and saving others in the face of grave danger.
PM Modi praises Captain Smit Machchhar’s bravery again
Similar to the praise Modi heaped on the FlyDubai pilot in an X post the previous day, he conveyed the nation’s prayers for Machchhar’s swift recovery during the video call. According to the interaction captured on camera, as seen in a video obtained by The Indian Express, Captain Smit was overcome with emotions while speaking to the prime minister, who continued praising his courage, presence of mind and composure.
The video call almost became a surreal experience for Smit Machchhar, who told PM Modi that he was his biggest idol. “You called me and encouraged me, I am feeling very proud,” he added.
Recounting the harrowing incident, the FlyDubai captain told PM Modi on Friday that even though he knew well enough that he was fighting for his life after the attack, he couldn’t let others on the plane die. Capt Smit also confessed that he kept on reciting the Hanuma Chalisa to gather courage while suffering through stab injuries.
Alluding to the captain’s own example, the leading politician asserted that the nation can proudly say Indians are not those who take lives, but those who are ready to risk their lives to save others. PM Modi told the heroic pilot he had even spoken to members of his family, including mother, Geeta Ben, and his wife. He particularly praised Captain Smit’s mother for raising him with the teaching of the Bhagvad Gita.
What we know about FlyDubai attack
The Indian “hero” pilot recently became the praiseworthy subject of international headlines after his co-pilot, an Omani national, stabbed him on an Israel-bound FlyDubai flight in an apparent attempt to crash the plane. Subsequently, the aircraft carrying 182 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, southwest Saudi Arabia.
Passengers have since spoken out about how Capt Smit Machchhar still managed to unlock the cockpit door and allowed them to enter and subdue the attacker even as the Boeing plane was sharply descending through tens of thousands of feet in 29 seconds, according to witnesses and Israeli authorities cited by the Associated Press. At the time, the pilot was fighting for his life as he lay on the cockpit floor, covered in his own blood.
Although now a veteran Boeing 737 captain, who has logged nearly 9,750 flying hours over a career spanning about 15 years, Machchhar arrived in aviation relatively late, according to a Reuters report. Having discovered flying at the age of 19, he spent 11 years with SpiceJet before dedicating four years (and counting) to his FlyDubai career.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh revealed late Wednesday that Machchhar was eventually taken to a hospital in stable condition. Embassy authorities further disclosed that his family had been briefed on his recovery.