Actor Juhi Chawla lauds Captain Smit Machchhar bravery

Actor Juhi Chawla turned the latest celebrity to praise flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his "incredible courage and presence of mind" while he was attacked by his co-pilot on the Israel-bound plane. Machchhar was seriously injured after being stabbed by his co-pilot in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. The flight was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children. Despite suffering multiple, severe stab wounds while the Boeing 737 plunged thousands of feet, Machchhar managed to send out a hijack alert and unlock the cockpit door. Chawla shared a note on her X handle on Saturday and said he managed to display bravery during grave danger. "Salute Captain Smit Machchhar. Such bravery in a moment of grave danger. Wish you get well very soon," she wrote. Several celebrities, including Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Johar, Shahid Kapoor, Anil Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar, have also praised the pilot for his courageous behaviour. On Friday, Machchhar spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a video call from the hospital and gave an account of the incident. Modi praised his bravery, presence of mind and composure, saying the pilot took a split-second decision that helped save the lives of those on board. -- PTI