Netanyahu praises Indian pilot who saved 174 lives. Photo: Collected
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has praised an Indian captain of Flydubai as a “true hero” for his role in saving the lives of 174 passengers and crew on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv after his co-pilot stabbed him.
Netanyahu said that Captain Machhar fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door and helped the passengers and crew defeat the attacker. Despite being seriously injured, he prevented a catastrophic accident in midair.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia after the incident. According to FlightRadar24, the plane descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet in just one minute.
Netanyahu said in a video that most of the passengers were Israeli. The co-pilot appeared to have intended to shoot down the plane as it approached Israel. The co-pilot’s identity is not yet known. He was arrested and questioned by Saudi authorities after landing. The motive behind the incident is still unclear.
The Israeli government had previously said that the identities of the pilots of all flights landing in the country would be verified. Flydubai has suspended its flights to and from Israel while the investigation continues.
