Salman Khan praises flydubai captain Smit Machchhar after dramatic mid-air incident

Salman Khan used his X account to applaud flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar, calling the pilot a hero and expressing a desire to travel with him in the future. The praise comes after a dramatic incident on flight FZ1073, where an Omani co-pilot reportedly assaulted Machchhar in the cockpit, leading to a serious injury and a rapid descent. While wounded, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers to intervene and subdue the assailant.

The plane was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it touched down without further harm, and all 182 passengers and crew survived. Both pilots were hospitalized, and the suspect was detained by Saudi authorities before being transferred to the UAE for investigation. The episode has drawn attention to prior security concerns about the co-pilot, who was flagged as a risk while training with Oman Air in 2024.