Hero in every sense of the word: Ajay Devgn hails Captain Smit Machchhar

MUMBAI, OCT 4 : Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn has lauded Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind in averting a major tragedy involving a flydubai flight carrying 174 passengers, calling him a “hero in every sense of the word.”

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, Mr Devgn wrote, “There are heroes, and then there are those who show us what true courage looks like. Captain Smit Machchhar, you are a hero in every sense of the word. Wishing you strength and a speedy recovery.”

Actor Sunny Deol also praised Captain Machchhar for his extraordinary courage during the mid-air crisis.

“Captain Smit Machchhar, extraordinary courage and presence of mind when it mattered most. You helped avert a disaster and save lives. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Salute,” Mr Deol said in a post on X.

Several other Bollywood personalities, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Jackie Shroff, Vicky Kaushal, Ranveer Singh and Anupam Kher, as well as singer Vishal Mishra, have earlier praised Captain Machchhar for his bravery in protecting the passengers during the September 30 incident.

Captain Machchhar was one of the co-pilots operating flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to reports, he helped avert a potentially catastrophic aviation disaster after his Omani co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the aircraft.

The situation turned violent inside the cockpit when the co-pilot allegedly attempted to stab Captain Machchhar, leaving him seriously injured. Despite his injuries, Captain Machchhar is reported to have played a crucial role in preventing the aircraft from being brought down and ensuring the safety of all 174 passengers onboard.

His actions have since drawn widespread appreciation, with several public figures saluting his courage and presence of mind under extreme circumstances.