Shah Rukh Khan has praised flydubai captain Smit Machchhar for protecting passengers during the September 30 cockpit attack on flight FZ1073. “The country is proud of you,” the actor said.

Ranveer Singh also saluted the captain, calling him “Captain Courageous” after the mid-air incident. The co-pilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar, sending the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight into a steep dive before passengers intervened.

UAE foreign policy adviser Anwar Gargash praised the captain as a hero who embodied courage and responsibility while being attacked. The plane made an emergency landing at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. No passenger injuries were reported, and an Emirati security team later escorted the captain back to the UAE.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Omani co-pilot a terrorist who had been radicalised, and said Israel has launched an investigation. US President Donald Trump told reporters that Iran may have had a role, though officials said there was no concrete evidence.