Israel to honour Captain Smit Machchhar

New Delhi: The bravery of the Indian captain, who defeated death in the sky, will no longer be limited to just praises. Israel has decided to duly honor Captain Smit Machchhar who saved Flyduba's FZ1073 flight from the accident. Israel's Ambassador to India Reuven Azar told Aaj Tak in an exclusive conversation that from the President to the Prime Minister and ordinary Israeli citizens, everyone is talking about the bravery of Captain Smyth.

Ambassador Reuven Azar said Israel never forgets its friends and always honours those who stand by them in difficult times. He said Capt. Smit saved the lives of about 180 people on board. Interestingly, this incident happened very close to the third anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attack, thus averting another major terrorist attack. Sensing the danger, Israel also sent fighter jets into the air, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself attended a security meeting regarding this matter. According to the ambassador, the captain's bravery prevented a major accident from happening, and Israel will soon give him a formal honor.

Four Israelis will also receive medals

Not only the captain, but also the four Israeli citizens who helped save the plane will be honored. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has said he would recommend the "President's Medal for Civilian Heroism" to the four men. President Herzog also had one-on-one talks with Yaniv Hayun, Dr. Shota Musayev, Tvika Mans and Asaf Rezvan. The four were among those who handled the situation during the violent incident on Wednesday.

How the whole incident happened

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv caused a stir when the co-pilot suddenly attacked the other pilot with a knife. After this, the aircraft began to lose altitude rapidly. At this critical juncture, the passengers and crew showed courage together and played an important role in regaining control of the aircraft. Thanks to the efforts of these four Israeli citizens, the plane was finally landed safely, which led to President Herzog choosing them for this special honor of civic valor.

The flight was later diverted to Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Since this incident, Captain Smit's bravery and the role of the passengers have remained the biggest topic of discussion in Israel.