Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and flydubai captain Smit Machchhar to light a celebration flame at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony next year.
Machchhar was attacked with an axe by the co-pilot on a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight and managed to open the cockpit door despite severe injuries, allowing passengers to intervene before an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu praised Machchhar for his courage under extreme conditions and called PM Modi and the pilot great friends during an emotional conversation on Saturday.