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Indian pride swells as flydubai pilot who saved 174 lives hailed as ‘absolute hero’

South China Morning Post1 October 2026, 05:18 UTCIndia

An Indian pilot’s extraordinary bravery during an apparent mid-air hijack attempt has ignited a wave of national pride, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the pilot as a hero for saving 174 lives on a flydubai plane – adding a dramatic chapter to a career that began almost by chance. Captain Smit Machchhar was critically injured after taking the brunt of a knife attack on Wednesday, but managed to open the cockpit door so crew and passengers could overpower the attacker. “Captain Smit...

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