Now Reading: Netanyahu, Trump hail Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as hero
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Netanyahu, Trump hail Indian pilot Smit Machchhar as hero
The Story in Brief
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar as a ‘true hero’ after he was stabbed by his co-pilot on flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September. Netanyahu said Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, fought back, opened the cockpit door and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker, saving 174 lives. US President Donald Trump also called Machchhar a ‘hero’ but said he was recounting details from Netanyahu and had not independently verified them.
The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, stabbed Machchhar, causing the Boeing 737 MAX 8 to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds, according to flight tracking data. Two off-duty flydubai pilots took over controls, stabilised the plane and diverted it to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was hospitalised in Tabuk and reported to be in stable condition. flydubai has suspended its 10 daily Dubai-Tel Aviv flights for six days pending an investigation.
Update, 1 October 2026: New sources add that US President Donald Trump called Machchhar a ‘hero’ but said he was recounting details from Netanyahu and had not independently verified them. Al Jazeera reported that Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid called Netanyahu greeting passengers at the airport ‘cheap politics’ ahead of October 2026 elections. rediff.com also covered Trump's unconfirmed account with his explicit caveat.
Indian Opinion Analysis
All 17 sources converge on Netanyahu’s praise for Machchhar and the core facts of the stabbing and safe landing. Al Jazeera adds political context by noting that opposition leader Yair Lapid called Netanyahu greeting passengers at the airport ‘cheap politics’ ahead of October 2026 elections, a detail omitted by pro-government leaning outlets. Trump’s unverified account, including the claim that a plumber passenger stabilised the plane by watching ‘Air Disasters’, is highlighted by rediff.com, hindustantimes.com and indiatoday.in with his explicit caveat that he had not confirmed it. The balanced reading confirms the bravery of the captain and passengers while noting that the motives and full investigation remain open.
The Indian Embassy has confirmed Machchhar is stable. flydubai’s six-day suspension of Tel Aviv flights is the concrete next step reported across sources.
Coverage: 17 sources, 1 government-critical, 16 neutral
Sources (17): timesnownews.com (neutral report), indiatoday.in (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), thehindu.com (neutral report), aljazeera.com (government critical), ndtv.com (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (2) (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2) (neutral report), newindianexpress.com (neutral report), telanganatoday.com (neutral report), telanganatoday.com (2) (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (3) (neutral report), indiatoday.in (2) (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (4) (neutral report), indiatoday.in (3) (neutral report), rediff.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 17 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 1 October 2026: further reports on this story from economictimes.indiatimes.com, indiatvnews.com, indiatoday.in, timesnownews.com.
