Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot flying for Flydubai, has spoken publicly about a violent mid-flight confrontation involving his co-pilot. According to reports, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar and initiated a steep descent, threatening the safety of the flight. Machchhar stated that despite suffering multiple wounds and being knocked to the ground, he managed to recover and regain control of the aircraft to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Following the incident, Machchhar was hospitalized in Abu Dhabi. During a televised video call, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with the pilot to commend his bravery. While the SCMP report focuses on the technical and physical details of the struggle in the cockpit, the Indian Express highlights the Prime Minister’s nationalistic messaging during the call, specifically quoting Modi as saying, “Indians are not those who take lives.” The sources agree on the core event—a violent altercation in the cockpit—but differ in their emphasis: one centers on the pilot's survival and the mechanics of the emergency, while the other centers on the political and cultural narrative surrounding the pilot’s identity.