Israel publishes a photo of Fly Dubai pilot Smit Machhar, and this is what she said

The Israeli Foreign Ministry published the first photo of the Indian pilot, Smit Machhar, who resisted an attack on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv on Wednesday, describing him as a "hero". The photo was published by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on its page on the X platform (formerly Twitter), saying with a comment: “This man is a hero..

Captain Smit Machhar, the Indian pilot of Flydubai Flight 1073, resisted the attacker after being stabbed inside the cockpit. She continued: “Despite his severe injury, he was able to open the cockpit door, allowing the Israeli passengers and Emirati crew to intervene and rescue all passengers.

Together, their exceptional bravery saved the lives of 174 people. We wish Captain Machhar a full and speedy recovery.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Ofek News network on Wednesday that the pilot who fought back - on a Flydubai flight that was rerouted - after it appeared that another pilot in the cockpit tried to shoot down the plane "succeeded in preventing a catastrophe similar to the attacks of September 11, 2001," in reference to the attacks on the United States after Al-Qaeda members targeted the World Trade Towers. “This is what appears to have been happening in terms of the specific motivations behind this,” Netanyahu added, adding that he spoke with US President Donald Trump “about this amazing act of heroism that prevented a catastrophe. Not only would it have been a catastrophe for Israel, but you can imagine how it could have affected the global aviation sector.”