Mumbai: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday said Captain Smit Machchhar showed "what being a Captain entails" by putting the safety of those onboard ahead of his own after being stabbed by his co-pilot aboard a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
In a post on X, SRK praised Machchhar for his courage in thwarting his co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash the flight, which was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, on Wednesday.
Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty.…
"Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It's not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one's safety on the line. But you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails," SRK wrote.
"A true display of courage and duty. Wishing you a speedy recovery, the country is proud of you," the actor wrote.
Earlier, actor Salman Khan had also praised Machchhar on social media, saying he had "done an amazing job" and that it would be a "pleasure" to fly with him.
The flydubai flight had transmitted emergency signals on Wednesday and made a sharp descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Saudi Arabia's Tabuk city.
On Friday, Machchhar spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a video call from hospital and recounted the incident.
Modi praised the pilot's bravery, presence of mind and composure, saying Machchhar took a split-second decision that helped save the lives of those onboard.
The motive behind the co-pilot's alleged attack remains under investigation.