Maharashtra Celebrates Flydubai Pilot as a National Hero After Near‑Crash

The incident, which involved 174 travelers – 27 of them children – ended without casualties thanks to Captain Machhar’s quick thinking. Video clips circulating online showed the captain, blood‑stained and wearing an oxygen mask, lying on the aircraft galley, still directing the crew. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that an Israeli passenger alerted authorities when the plane began to spin, and that a crew member seized control of the cockpit to stop the sabotage attempt.