New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the bravery of India's brave pilot Captain Smit Machar at the centenary celebrations of UPSC. The incident that happened yesterday and the way India's Captain Smit showed patience, wisdom and courage, and today Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that this Indian saved 9/11 from happening. For every countryman, this bravery of Smit fills us with pride.
#WATCH | Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “…The incident that occurred yesterday, Captain Smit of India demonstrated remarkable patience, presence of mind, and courage; indeed, as the Prime Minister of Israel stated today, an Indian prevented a 9/11-style tragedy.”… pic.twitter.com/Q3JyfmnhOc
— ANI (@ANI) October 1, 2026
Prime Minister Modi said that today I also talked to Captain Smit's father Bhupendra Bhai, his mother Geeta sister and wife Sonal sister. Captain Smit is undergoing treatment, today the whole world is proud of him. I request the countrymen that we all pray for Smit's long life, his good health and congratulate Bhai Smit who made India proud. Let us tell you that the pilot of the Fly Dubai plane which was going from Dubai to Israel's capital Tel Aviv, which its Omani co-pilot tried to crash, was Smit Machar. The co-pilot injured Smit Machar by stabbing him in the cockpit of the plane, yet Smit did not allow him to take control of the plane.
Smit first sent emergency codes 7700 and 7500. After this Captain Smit opened the cockpit door after which other crew members and passengers controlled the co-pilot. Later the plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. In this way Captain Smit saved the lives of the passengers on board the plane. Smit Machar has more than 9,750 hours of commercial experience flying aircraft such as the Boeing 737. Before Flydubai Airlines, he had served in SpiceJet for almost 11 years.