Indian pilot hailed as ‘hero’ after cockpit struggle

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has been credited with averting disaster after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on Wednesday. | Israel's Foreign Ministry / via AFP-JIJI

AFP-Jiji

Oct 1, 2026

Mumbai – Indian pilot Smit Machchhar was hailed as a “hero” on Thursday after fighting to retain control of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight when his co-pilot allegedly attacked him, leaving him wounded but helping avert disaster.

But for friends and neighbors in the Mumbai suburb where his parents live, the courage came as little surprise.

They describe Machchhar, who is in his 30s and holds more than a decade of flying experience, as a soft-spoken, helpful and “always smiling” man who has remained calm under pressure since childhood.

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