Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 04:33am on 01 Oct 2026,Thursday India Global
US President Donald Trump praised Indian Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar as a “hero” after the pilot was stabbed by his Omani co-pilot during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. Trump said Machchhar was in “very bad shape” but retained enough presence of mind to help prevent an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft. Recounting details shared with him by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door after being attacked with a knife, then fell back and “scream[ed] for help.” Passengers subsequently managed to overpower the co-pilot and helped ensure the aircraft landed safely in Saudi Arabia. Trump praised Machchhar’s actions while describing the injured Indian pilot as a hero.
