Pride over Captain Smit Machchhar’s bravery aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 was tempered by an anxious wait for news of his recovery in Mumbai’s Chembur West on Thursday, as childhood friends, neighbours and local residents recalled the pilot they knew and prayed for his return home.
Mr. Machchhar was seriously injured during an attack inside the cockpit of the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight on Wednesday. Despite his injuries, he managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing others on board to intervene. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, subsequently landed safely at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Machchhar underwent surgery before being shifted to Dubai for further treatment.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met the uncle and aunt of Captain Smit Machchar and termed it as a “moment of pride for Maharashtra and India”.
“Met Capt. Smit Machchhar’s uncle and aunt today and expressed my heartfelt appreciation for his extraordinary courage. In a moment of grave danger, Smit displayed remarkable courage, presence of mind and a deep sense of responsibility, helping save the lives of everyone on board. His bravery in the face of such a difficult situation is truly commendable. Smit has made Maharashtra and India proud,” Mr. Fadnavis posted on his social media account on X.
A neighbour of Mr. Machchhar, Yuhan Merchant said: “It’s a proud moment for all of us as Mumbaikars, as people living in the same society, and as fellow Indians. At the same time, we are very concerned about his well-being. We just hope that he is fine.”
Mr. Merchant, who has known Mr. Machchhar and his family, described him as “tremendously dedicated” to aviation.
“We have seen him tremendously dedicated towards the kind of profession that he is in. Very, very dedicated,” Mr. Merchant said. “We just hope that he continues doing what he does best, and that’s falling in love with the aviation sector.”
The hours following news of the incident were tense for both Mr. Machchhar’s family and residents of the society in Tilak Nagar area, the neighbour said.
“I think it was a very emotional experience for all of us in this society, as well as in the family,” he said. “We didn’t have much of a conversation with his parents because it’s a very difficult time… It was a very nervous time. It still is a very nervous time for all of us.”
For Chintan, a childhood friend of Mr. Machchhar, the courage being spoken about across the world was not entirely unfamiliar. “I knew that he was a very brave and large-hearted person. I knew that, and today the whole world knows it,” Mr. Chintan said.
Calling the moment a source of pride extending beyond the neighbourhood, he added, “It is nothing but pride for us — for his parents, for India and, if I am being honest, for humanity.”
Another neighbour said Mr. Machchhar’s ability to remain composed despite being seriously injured particularly stood out to residents.
“After everything that happened to him inside the cockpit, he maintained his balance, kept his mind calm and showed immense courage,” the neighbour said. “He tried to open the cockpit door. I think that must have been extremely challenging at that moment.”
“We will pray to God for his recovery,” the neighbour added. “We will remain in contact with his family and parents to know how his recovery is progressing.”
Local resident Shifali Parekh described the reported circumstances aboard the aircraft as “very scary” and said Mr. Machchhar’s response showed considerable mental strength.
“Imagine getting stabbed, then thinking about the flight going down, and then opening the door,” Ms. Parekh said. “I don’t think someone who was not strong-headed would have done that. It is a scary situation. If it was any other person, I don’t know who would have done that.”
Dharmesh Giri, another local resident, said the incident had become a source of pride for the neighbourhood as well as the country.
“It is a very proud moment for us and for our country,” Mr. Giri said, referring also to the messages of appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr. Fadnavis.
The Prime Minister on Thursday praised the pilot’s courage and prayed for his speedy recovery.
Mr. Giri said residents were now waiting for Mr. Machchhar to recover before celebrating. “Right now, everyone is praying that he gets well soon. After that, all of us are waiting for him. When he comes back, we will have a big celebration,” he said.
For Mr. Giri, the episode was something he associated more readily with the movies than with someone from his own neighbourhood.
“We only see such things in films. This is what you call a hero, a superhero,” he said. “What he has done is a matter of pride for India, Maharashtra, Mumbai and our area.”
Ghatkopar East BJP MLA Parag Shah said the connection was particularly personal for him as Mr. Machchhar was not only from his constituency but had also attended the same school as him. “He has become a world hero, a national hero,” Mr. Shah said adding: “I feel proud that he is from my constituency. Coincidentally, we both were in the same school — he’s much junior to me.”
“For me, it’s a double proud moment, where he’s from my constituency, from my same school, and I chair the position in that school,” Mr. Shah added.
The BJP lawmaker said Mr. Machchhar had been living in Dubai with his wife for around four years and that his parents had travelled there following the incident. He said the family had been inundated with calls after news of Mr. Machchhar’s actions emerged.
“Since yesterday night, thousands of phone calls are coming to the family from media, from relatives, from various people, whoever knows them, to appreciate him,” Mr. Shah said.
According to Mr. Shah, the pilot was stable following surgery and his family was receiving assistance from flydubai and Indian, Saudi and UAE authorities.
“He is very much stable, but they are not in a position yet to speak to Smit directly, maybe because of the procedure there, he’s under observation,” Mr. Shah said. “After the operation yesterday, he is out of danger.”