On Oct 2, the Bollywood megastar took to X to salute a hero who saved 180 people.
The drama unfolded on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, when an Omani co‑pilot lunged with a knife inside the cockpit, sending the plane into a 16,000‑foot plunge in just two minutes.
Captain Smit Machchhar, bruised but unbowed, held the wheel while crew and passengers stormed the cockpit to restrain the attacker. The plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and everyone disembarked unharmed.
Pulkit Machchhar, the captain’s cousin, told ANI, "He is my cousin; our community is proud of the courage he displayed and the lives he saved…" The tweet sparked a wave of support from fans, with the hashtag #WellDoneBro trending across India.
Flydubai has issued a statement thanking the crew and pledging a review of cockpit security. Meanwhile, Salman’s endorsement is already boosting the pilot’s profile, and airlines are eyeing the incident to reinforce safety protocols.