flydubai flight incident: ‘I kept reciting Hanuman Chalisa,’ Captain Smit Machchhar tells PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar whose actions during an attack by his copilot on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv helped avert a major tragedy involving 180 peopleCaptain Machchhar spoke to the Prime Minister about his experience and what gave him the courage to respond during the incident PM Modi praised his bravery and wished him a speedy recovery ANI reportedlsquoI kept reciting Hanuman Chalisarsquo Smit Machchhar to PM ModiWhile speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi injured Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar recalled how he recited the Hanuman Chalisa during the cockpit attack saying the prayer helped him remain calm while he was in painWhenever I am in pain I recite Hanuman Chalisa At that time too I only kept reciting the Hanuman Chalisa Machchhar told PM ModiExpressing his gratitude for the Prime Ministers call the pilot added Today one call from you makes me feel really proudWATCH While speaking to PM Modi Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar says Whenever I am in pain I recite Hanuman Chalisa At that time too I only kept reciting the Hanuman ChalisaToday one call from you makes me feel really proud pictwittercomIlkn34cf9Dmdash ANI ANI October 2 2026Captain Machchhar stable and recovering in UAEIndiarsquos envoy to the UAE Dipak Mittal said Captain Smit Machchhar is in stable condition and recovering well at a UAE hospitalMittal who met the injured pilot and his family at the hospital said Machchharrsquos morale was high and that he was smiling and also laughingAccording to ANI the ambassador said that the captain was receiving good medical treatment and that the Indian Embassy remained in constant touch with officialsI just met him along with his family here in the hospital in UAE and hes doing well I was very relieved to see and very reassured that hes doing well hes quite stable He was talking he was chatting a bit of discomfort but I think hes under good medical care here in UAE Mittal said ANI reportedCalling Machchhar a brave son of India the envoy praised his response during the midair emergency and said his actions helped prevent a major catastrophePM Modi praises pilots courageEarlier on Thursday PM Modi had praised Captain Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind during the cockpit attack saying his actions helped avert a major tragedyIn the incident that occurred Captain Smit of India demonstrated remarkable patience presence of mind and courage indeed as the Prime Minister of Israel stated today an Indian prevented a 911style tragedy For every citizen of our country Smits valour fills us with immense pride Modi saidThe Prime Minister also said he had spoken to Machchhars family and enquired about his healthI had a conversation with his father Bhupendrabhai his mother Gitaben and his wife Sonalben His medical treatment is currently ongoing and today the entire world feels proud of him he saidNew footage shows chaos aboard flydubai flightMeanwhile new footage released by Israels Channel 12 showed the chaos inside the flydubai flight after Captain Machchhar and other passengers overpowered an attempt by the copilot to crash the aircraft while it was flying from Dubai to Tel AvivIn the footage recorded from a seat near the cockpit passengers can be heard shouting One person says He tried to crash the plane referring to the copilot who allegedly stabbed MachchharOthers can be heard shouting take him out towards the cockpit and asking passengers in the cabin to sit downCalls for a doctor can then be heard following which an Israeli dentist identified as Dr Shota Musayev rushes towards the front of the plane to provide medical assistanceAnother passenger asks whether there is an additional pilot on board to which someone responds in the affirmativeThe footage then shows a bloodied Captain Machchhar lying on the floor outside the cockpit He tells passengers that the copilot hit me so many times and says he can move his injured hand but can no longer squeeze it shutMedics attend to pilot after emergency landingThe video resumes after the aircraft makes an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia where medics are seen attending to MachchharOther passengers tell ground staff that the copilot is a terrorist as police teams arrive at the aircraft The footage ends with Machchhar telling medics about his injured handThe footage was released as investigations into the copilots actions continueIsrael PM speaks about copilots alleged indoctrinationEarlier Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the copilot who attacked Machchhar had undergone what he described as radical Islamist indoctrinationSpeaking to Fox News Netanyahu said the copilot was being interrogated and that Israeli investigators had joined the questioningThe attacker the copilot who attacked the captain is now being interrogated What we know so far is that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination Netanyahu saidWith ANI inputs