The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) formally approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 2, demanding national recognition for Captain Smit Machchhar. The letter, dated the 2nd, describes Machchhar's handling of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on September 30 as a display of "extraordinary courage." The pilots' body wants the PMO to consider him for a National Bravery Award or equivalent civilian honour.
The incident occurred during a Dubai to Tel Aviv sector. According to the FIP letter, the first officer allegedly attacked Machchhar with a crash axe inside the cockpit. He sustained serious injuries but did not relinquish control.
Machchhar retained command despite the physical threat. He diverted the aircraft to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, landing safely. The flight carried 174 passengers and eight crew members. The FIP emphasized that standard emergency training does not cover a violent attack on the pilot-in-command. They argue Machchhar's resilience under extreme duress saved 182 lives.
The federation urged authorities to examine operational logs and medical records before finalizing the award. They stressed that his actions went beyond standard duty to preserve the safety of everyone aboard. The government will now verify these facts through competent authorities.