Captain Smit Machchhar, pilot of Flydubai flight, was attacked mid-flight but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene. 

Published on: Oct 3, 2026, 14:48:11 IST

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After Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan has taken to social media to laud the bravery of Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who helped save the lives of 174 people on board a Flydubai flight after he was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot mid-air. Shah Rukh praised Smit for putting the safety of those on board before his own and acting with courage despite his injuries.

Shah Rukh Khan praises Captain Smit Machchhar

Shah Rukh wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty. Wishing you a speedy recovery, the country is proud of you…”

Shah Rukh's praise comes a day after another Bollywood superstar, Salman Khan, lauded Smit's bravery. On Friday night, Salman shared a heartfelt note on X. He wrote, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain (You’ve done a fantastic job, Pilot-ji; we all salute you) Will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar.”

Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar and other Bollywood celebrities hail the captain

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Shah Rukh and Salman are not the only Bollywood celebrities who have praised Captain Smit. Karan Johar recently shared a photo of the captain and wrote, “It takes another grain of courage to be fighting for your own life but in that split second, put the lives of all others before yours. And that's what captain Smit Machchhar did in the face of the toughest times. And for that, the entire country & humankind is behind you! Thank you for your selfless, courageous and brave heart, you are an inspiration for the generations to come.”

Vicky Kaushal called the captain a “braveheart”, while Ranveer Singh described him as “courageous”. Other celebrities, including Paresh Rawal, R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda and Ravi Kishan, have also praised the captain and wished him a speedy recovery.

What happened on the flight?

Captain Smit Machchhar was the pilot of Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, including 27 children. On September 30, while the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia, Machchhar was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit.

Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. This allowed passengers and crew members to intervene and overpower the attacker. Two other pilots who were travelling on the flight then helped take control of the aircraft, which was diverted and safely landed at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was taken to hospital following the incident and later spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed. During the conversation, he recounted how he opened the cockpit door despite his injuries, allowing others to help stop the attacker and prevent further danger to those on board.

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