Salman Khan Praises Smit Machchhar: ‘Will Be A Pleasure To Fly With You’
Salman Khan praises the Flydubai pilot in a public message.
Actor Salman Khan praised flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his actions during the recent FZ1073 incident, saying he would be pleased to fly with him. In a post on X on Saturday, Khan saluted the Indian pilot and congratulated him for his handling of the emergency. His comments came after Machchhar was injured during an incident in the cockpit on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The flydubai aircraft was travelling to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar inside the cockpit, leaving the Indian pilot seriously injured. The aircraft subsequently entered a steep descent. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to reach and open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and help restrain the suspect, according to his account of the incident.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. The flight was carrying 182 people, according to The Associated Press, and all passengers and crew members survived. Both pilots were taken to hospital following the incident, while passengers were later transported to Israel aboard a replacement aircraft.
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Machchhar also spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video call on Friday and described how he responded after realising that the aircraft was descending. He said he knew the aircraft was going down and, despite having fallen to the cockpit floor, focused on reaching the door. Passengers then entered the cockpit and assisted in restraining the co-pilot before the aircraft was diverted.
The Omani co-pilot involved in the incident has reportedly been identified as Hamam Al-Hammami by Al Arabiya, although his identity had not been officially confirmed in the material provided. Saudi authorities detained the suspect before transferring him to the United Arab Emirates, where the investigation is continuing. Israeli officials were also expected to question him as part of the inquiry into the incident.
The investigation is also examining reports that the co-pilot had previously been flagged as a security concern while training with Oman Air in 2024. Officials cited by ABC News said he had been identified as a security risk and reportedly barred from flying by Oman over alleged radical views. Investigators are now examining how he subsequently joined flydubai and served as a first officer on the flight to Tel Aviv.
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