Indian Pilot Praised for Actions on Flydubai Flight

In October 2026, Indian pilot Smit Machchhar of flydubai received praise from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions during an incident on a flydubai flight. Modi spoke with Machchhar's family, and the state of Gujarat announced an award for him. Netanyahu said the pilot prevented a "9/11-type" tragedy and invited the flydubai crew to light a torch at Israel's Independence Day ceremony.

The United Arab Emirates' foreign minister urged reliance on official information and avoidance of speculation until the investigation into the flydubai incident is complete. The UAE's attorney general directed that information be gathered as part of the probe.