Gujarat CM announces ‘Visisht Gujarat Garima Award’ for Indian pilot Smit Machchhar
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Gujarat CM announces ‘Visisht Gujarat Garima Award’ for Indian pilot Smit Machchhar")
Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by his co-pilot in the cockpit but fought back valiantly Photograph: (Screengrab from video)
Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar said Israel will also honour Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery in averting a major disaster and saving the lives of around 180 people. Azar added that Machchhar’s valour had drawn attention across Israel.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Thursday announced that the state government will honour Indian pilot Smit Machchhar with the ‘Visisht Gujarat Garima Award’ for his courage in saving 174 passengers aboard a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai flight despite being grievously injured in an attack inside the cockpit.
Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by his Omani co-pilot in the cockpit but fought back valiantly despite being severely injured and managed to open the door for seeking assistance and saving the plane. The flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia with all the passengers safe.
“The courage of Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot of the flight headed to Israel, is being saluted by the entire world today. Despite being drenched in blood due to the attack, he displayed indomitable bravery to save the lives of 174 passengers—a feat that is profoundly inspiring and commendable,” Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel wrote on X.
“This valiant son of Gujarat has illuminated the name of Gujarat and the nation across the globe through his heroism. The Gujarati spirit flowing in his veins fills us all with immense pride. To honor his extraordinary act of bravery and humanity, the Government of Gujarat will bestow upon Captain Smit Machhar the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award,” he added.
The CM also prayed for his swift recovery, saying, “The empathy and prayers of the nation’s citizens are with Captain Smit Machchhar.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump have already praised Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage.
‘Israel would formally recognise the pilot’s valour and bravery,’ says Ambassador
Meanwhile, Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar has said that Israel will also honour Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his bravery in averting a major disaster and saving the lives of around 180 people.
Azar said Machchhar’s valour had drawn attention across Israel, including from President and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and praised the pilot for saving both the passengers and the aircraft despite being seriously injured.
The ambassador said Israel “does not forget its friends” who stand with the country during times of crisis. He linked the incident to the period close to the third anniversary of the October 7 terror attack, calling it another terror strike that was averted.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
Azar said Israel had scrambled fighter jets amid concerns over the aircraft threat and that Netanyahu was in a security huddle discussing the situation when Machchhar’s actions helped avert a potential catastrophe. He said Israel would formally recognise the pilot’s “valour and bravery”.
PM Modi said Machchhar had shown “remarkable patience, presence of mind, and courage” and described him as a “HERO”, saying his valour helped avert a major tragedy and save lives. N
Netanyahu also saluted Machchhar for his “extraordinary bravery”, saying that despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker.
Trump called the Indian pilot “a hero”, saying that even while badly wounded, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door and call for help.
‘He was an absolute hero’
Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayun, who stormed into the cockpit and overpowered the attacker co-pilot and then worked on controls to steady the diving aircraft, also hailed Captain Machchhar.
“You’re not going to die today,” Hayun told the Indian pilot who was stabbed by his co-pilot.
“He was an absolute hero. I told him, ‘You’re not going to die today’,” Hayun recalled telling Machchhar.
“Captain Smit, it’s a hero. I want to thank him for letting us inside the cockpit, or all of us would have died,” he added.
“Despite his injuries, he fought back. He saved us, and we are very grateful. We wish him a quick recovery, and we would like to speak to him and thank him in person.”
‘Remember his name: Smit Machchhar’
After the dramatic incident aboard a flydubai flight, social media was agog with messages hailing the Indian pilot. Several Israelis posted videos to thank the Indian pilot and hailed him as a hero after Israeli authorities said his actions helped prevent a catastrophe involving more than 170 passengers.
“Remember his name: Smit Machchhar.” That was the message echoing across social media.
One video after another carried messages of gratitude for the captain, with users in Israel describing him as brave and urging others to remember his name.
One Israeli content creator, Einav Avizemer, posted a video thanking both Machchhar and India.
“I want to take this opportunity and thank the Indian pilot. What a hero,” she said, adding that without his actions, “it could end up in a whole different way”.
