US House honors Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for foiling Flydubai attack

The US House of Representatives introduced a bipartisan resolution on October 5 honouring Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his actions during an attack on Flydubai Flight 1073, condemning the incident as an "act of terrorism" and calling for a full investigation by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The attack occurred on September 30 when the flight, carrying around 174 passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was attacked by the co-pilot using an emergency crash axe inside the cockpit. Despite serious injuries, Machchhar resisted and unlocked the cockpit door, allowing off-duty pilots and passengers to restrain the attacker, after which the aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The resolution, sponsored by Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer and backed by Republicans Michael McCaul and Don Bacon, praises Machchhar's "extraordinary courage" and commends the crew and passengers. It also asks that the US and Israel be kept informed of the investigation, while Machchhar remains under medical care in the UAE.