&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Israel Ambassador Azar hails Indian pilot as 'hero against terrorism'; terms attack at the 'heart of the Abraham Accords'")
Israel’s ambassador to India has hailed Captain Smit Machchhar as a symbol of ordinary people standing together against terrorism after the Indian pilot, stabbed in the cockpit of a Flydubai jet, helped save more than 170 lives. Speaking to WION's Sidhant Sibal in the hours after flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, Ambassador Reuven Azar said the captain’s actions had changed the outcome of what Israeli officials describe as an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft. The co-pilot, reported to be an Omani national, allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife as the Boeing 737 MAX flew towards Israel.
“Without the resourcefulness and courage, the bravery of the captain, I think that the result would be very different,” Azar said. “We don’t even want to think what could happen without his resolve.” He called the pilot’s conduct “an example"and thanked him for opening the door so that “the Israeli passengers could enter [and] neutralise the attacker.” Despite serious wounds, Machchhar fought back and opened the cockpit door. Israeli passengers and Emirati crew then overpowered the attacker. Off-duty pilots among those on board helped stabilise the aircraft. All passengers and crew survived.
World leaders quickly joined the praise. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saluted Machchhar’s “extraordinary bravery". Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called him a hero whose “valor helped save hundreds of lives.” US President Donald Trump also described him as a hero. Azar noted that Israel’s president and parliament speaker, and India’s president, had likewise lauded the Indian pilot's role.
The ambassador framed the episode as more than a government story. The flight, he said, illustrated daily people-to-people links built since the Abraham Accords: frequent flights between the UAE and Israel, and cooperation that “terrorists” had tried to derail. “It shows that it’s not just about the government. It’s about people,” he said. An Indian captain, Emirati crew and Israeli passengers had acted together, "united against terrorism.”
Investigators in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel have not yet publicly confirmed the motive. Azar said the attack struck “at the heart of the Abraham Accords” and the regional cooperation of recent years.
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The captain was reported stable and receiving treatment from medical teams that had earlier treated Israelis. “We admire the captain and we are all praying together for his recovery,” Azar said. Israeli leaders, he added, “never forget people that come to our assistance in time of need” and want to thank the family and honour the pilot. Machchhar, a former SpiceJet commander who joined flydubai in 2022, has more than 13 years and nearly 9,750 hours on Boeing 737s. He remains in hospital in Tabuk. The co-pilot is in custody. The investigation continues.
