Capt. Smit Machchhar, a pilot with nearly 10,000 hours of flying experience, is being hailed as a hero after preventing a potential disaster on an Israel-bound plane.
What happened
A fellow pilot stabbed Machchhar and attempted to crash the plane, but despite his severe injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and take control of the aircraft.
The plane, which was carrying 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to an airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Machchhar is being treated in a hospital in Tabuk city, with his condition described as stable.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have praised Machchhar's actions, with Modi saying he has shown the world the highest form of courage and prevented another 9/11-like attack from happening.
