Shah Rukh Khan praises 'brave heart' FlyDubai Captain Smit Machchhar; Indian embassy shares update on his health

Several celebrities have extended their support and best wishes to Captain Smit Machchhar, who is currently recuperating from the FlyDubai incident where he was stabbed by his co-pilot in an alleged attempt to crash the passenger flight. On Saturday, Shah Rukh Khan hailed Machchhar for his ‘display of courage and duty.’

Shah Rukh Khan to Captain Smit Machchhar

Taking to X, Shah Rukh Khan praised the hero Captain on behalf of the nation.

He wrote, “Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty. Wishing you a speedy recovery, the country is proud of you…”

Salman Khan

Shah Rukh Khan's post arrived sometime after Salman Khan, who addressed Machchhar as “bro.”

On X, the Tiger actor wrote in his signature style, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar.”

Bollywood celebs praise hero Captain

Besides the Bollywood superstar, several others also stepped up on social media to praise the captain.

Anil Kapoor showed respect by acknowledging Machchhar's extraordinary courage. “When this happened, Jalal told me he knows Smit since flying school and had always known him to be someone he’d want by his side in a difficult situation. It made me think about how much courage Smit must have had, right from the beginning, for the people around him to recognise it so early on. What Smit did in that moment was nothing short of extraordinary. It takes immense courage to stay strong and put others first when you’re facing something so terrifying yourself. Sending him all my respect and wishing him a speedy recovery.”

Ranveer Singh posted a photo of Smit Machchhar and called him “courageous.”

Vicky Kaushal took to his Instagram Story and wrote, "Braveheart! Capt Smit Machchhar."

“Captain Smit Machchhar - extraordinary courage and presence of mind when it mattered most. You helped avert a disaster and save lives. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Salute,” added Gadar star, Sunny Deol.

Health update on Captain Smit Machchhar

Captain Machchhar was recently airlifted to the UAE for treatment.

On Saturday, the Indian Embassy in the UAE shared an update on Machchhar's health. On X, their post mentioned, “Indian braveheart Capt. Smit remains under excellent medical care & is recovering well. We are in touch with his family & local authorities, extending support for a speedy recovery. Our thanks to UAE gov. for their care. We join well-wishers in praying for his good health.”

Co-pilot attacked with an axe?

On FlyDubai flight FZ1073, Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot, identified as Hamam al-Hammami as per PTI.

Reuters reportedly that the accused co-pilot attacked Machchhar with an axed in an alleged terrorist attack.

As per reports, Machchhar fought back and managed to open the cockpit door, letting passengers to overpower the attacker and take control of the flight which plunged more than 17000 ft.

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, carrying 174 passengers, also transmitted emergency signals. However, it managed to safely land at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Saudi Arabia's Tabuk. Al-Hammami is currently in custody as an investigation has been launched.