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Maharashtra: Milind Deora writes to PM Modi, seeks Ashok Chakra for Capt Smit Machchhar after flydubai flight bravery

  • Captain Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai-born pilot, saved 174 lives on September 30 by subduing his co-pilot after an alleged mid-air attack on a Flydubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
  • Within two minutes, the aircraft plummeted 16,000 feet after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain with a knife. Despite severe injuries, Machchhar resisted the assailant, allowing crew and passengers to secure the flight deck.
  • Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to award Machchhar the Ashoka Chakra, citing his 'courage, selflessness and duty' in an extreme situation that prevented a catastrophic loss of life.
  • Praising Machchhar’s composure, Modi spoke to the pilot via video call. Indian Ambassador Dipak Mittal confirmed the pilot remains stable in a UAE hospital, describing the captain as a 'brave son of India'.
  • Authorities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia continue their investigation into the motive behind the alleged cockpit attack. Israel is currently implementing stricter security checks for all incoming flights to prevent further 'unlawful interference'.
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Moneycontrol broke the news in Mumbai, India on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
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