The Gujarat government has announced a special honor for Captain Smit Machhar, the heroic pilot who fought between life and death to save the lives of 174 passengers in mid-air. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel declared that Captain Machhar, who displayed extraordinary courage despite being brutally attacked by his co-pilot on FlyDubai flight FZ1073, will be conferred with the state’s prestigious ‘Vishisht Gujarat Garima Award’.
Praising Captain Machhar’s selfless sacrifice and bravery, the Chief Minister noted that although a resident of Mumbai, the pilot has deep roots in Gujarat’s Surendranagar. In a social media post, CM Patel stated that the lives of 174 innocent passengers were saved due to the pilot’s unparalleled presence of mind even after being seriously injured. He remarked that this heroic act has brought pride to Gujarat and the entire nation.
The incident occurred inside the cockpit of a flight traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where the co-pilot, an Omani national, repeatedly stabbed Captain Smit Machhar with a knife. Despite heavy bleeding and being on the verge of losing consciousness, Machhar managed to unlock the cockpit door from the inside. This allowed the crew and passengers to enter immediately, overpower the attacker, and safely make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The Gujarat government decided to bestow this highest state honor upon him for fulfilling his duty under such critical circumstances and setting an example of humanity.
