Hero Pilot Honored in Israel and India After Rescue

Captain Smit Machher, who was part of the crew that saved 174 passengers on a Flydubai flight, remains hospitalized in the UAE after being seriously injured in an attack by an Omani assailant. Machher spoke with Indian Prime Minister Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who invited both Machher and Modi to light a torch at Israel's upcoming Independence Day ceremony.

Beyond the recognition from leaders, the Israeli public has also expressed gratitude. Rahul Koy Gorakhpuri, a content creator working in Israel, noted that while his interactions with Israelis have always been positive, the connection between India and Israel has deepened since the rescue. Gorakhpuri, who is among approximately 30,000 Indian workers who have come to Israel, particularly after October 7, 2023, to fill labor shortages, stated that Israelis now express their appreciation for India and Captain Smit.

Public displays of gratitude for Captain Smit have been documented. The Consul General in Mumbai, Yaniv Revach, shared a photo of a large banner in Mumbai thanking Captain Smit for saving Israeli lives and wishing him a speedy recovery. In Manali, a group of Israelis was seen distributing sweets and displaying images of Captain Smit alongside Israeli and Indian flags as a token of thanks. A video by social media user Amit-Kefit outside the Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv, expressing thanks to "Indian friends" and praying for Captain Smit's health, has garnered hundreds of thousands of views.

Captain Smit recounted the attack to the Prime Minister, describing how he was disoriented after being struck by the co-pilot and realized the plane was diving. He managed to open the cockpit door after the co-pilot had initially closed it, knowing he would die if he didn't act. Prime Minister Netanyahu praised Machher as a "hero of Israel and India and of the whole world" and reiterated the invitation to the Independence Day ceremony.