Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the Flydubai Indian pilot who was stabbed during the flight to Israel a "hero"

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Sputnik/Alexander Kazakov/REUTERS)India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Captain Smit Machchhar a "hero" and said that his performance, despite his injuries, prevented a tragedy and allowed hundreds of lives to be saved after a fight broke out in the cockpit of an airplane carrying 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv. "Captain Smit Machchhar is a HERO," Modi praised in a message posted on social media. The head of state highlighted the pilot's response to the attack he suffered during the flight. "In the face of the gravest danger and despite being seriously injured, he showed immense courage and unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others," he said. "His bravery helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy," added the Indian head of government through his account on X. Modi stated that "India is proud of Captain Machchhar" and expressed his wishes for the pilot's recovery: "Praying for his quick recovery, renewed strength and good health." Narendra Modi's message for the man who was attacked on the flight heading to Israel (@narendramodi)Captain Smit Machchhar, pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, has more than 13 years of experience in commercial aviation and has accumulated some 9,750 flight hours, according to the information published on his professional profile. Machchhar was at the controls of the plane covering the route between Dubai and Tel Aviv on Wednesday when he suffered a knife attack by the copilot during a confrontation in the cockpit. The incident forced the aircraft to divert and make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The Indian pilot's name began to circulate after the details of the incident aboard the Flydubai flight became known. The motives for the attack remain under investigation. Before joining the Emirati airline, Machchhar served as a line captain and training captain at SpiceJet. He currently works as a captain at Flydubai, as indicated by his profile on the social network LinkedIn, where he includes a photo of himself and details of his career in commercial aviation. Smit Machchhar, the Flydubai pilot who was stabbed during the flight to Israel. For his part, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that an Israeli plumber, the Indian pilot, and other passengers averted a catastrophe. "An act of astonishing heroism: yours, the Indian pilot's, the people who helped them. You prevented a disaster that could have been worldwide," Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. The Israeli head of government recounted that the aircraft descended 17,000 feet, about 5,180 meters, in one minute during the incident. According to Flightradar24, the episode occurred while the occupants of the flight were trying to regain control of the plane. In a video released by his office, Netanyahu met with passengers at Tel Aviv airport. The footage showed the head of government embracing a man with a blood-stained shirt. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File)Netanyahu said he received information about the plumber's intervention in the cockpit. "He managed to get into the cockpit, saw the attacker, grabbed him from behind, pulled him back, sat in the pilot's seat and pulled the control stick," he recounted. According to the head of state, other passengers subdued the aggressor. "He had to save them and he acted with calm and heroism," he added. The Prime Minister noted that the authorities are investigating the motive for the attack and analyzing a possible link to Iran or another actor. "The attacking pilot is being investigated in Saudi Arabia. I believe they will transfer him to the United Arab Emirates, where he is from, or at least where the flight took off from," he said, adding: "We will be following the investigation and may also take part in it."