An Indian captain who saved a Flydubai aircraft from a mid-air emergency is being hailed as a hero across the world, aviation officials and passengers said.

Captain Smit Machchhar was flying flight FZ1073 on September 30 when the Omani co-pilot reportedly stabbed him in the shoulder. Despite the injury, Machchhar managed to bring the aircraft down from a sudden plunge of thousands of feet and diverted the plane safely to Tabuk airport.

According to reports, the Boeing 737 lost around 14,000 to 17,000 feet of altitude in a terrifying few minutes before the captain regained control. Passengers praised the crew’s calm handling of the crisis.

A plumber travelling on the flight, Yaniv Hayun, also helped restrain the situation and has been praised for his quick thinking. The co-pilot has been detained and an investigation is under way.

Aviation experts said the incident shows how strong training and presence of mind can save lives in the most extreme situations. The captain’s actions have earned widespread admiration on social media and in the aviation community.