Two Stories of Courage - Smit Machchhar and Neerja Bhanot

Indian Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar played a crucial role in preventing a potential aviation disaster after he was injured during a violent incident inside the cockpit. The flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when Machchhar was attacked and seriously injured. Despite his injuries, he fought back and helped bring the situation under control. The aircraft was later diverted for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 174 passengers safely accounted for.

The incident has drawn comparisons with the courage displayed by Neerja Bhanot four decades ago. On September 5, 1986, Bhanot was serving as senior flight purser aboard Pan Am Flight 73 when four armed hijackers seized the aircraft during its stopover in Karachi. She alerted the cockpit crew, hid the passports of American passengers and helped evacuate passengers during the final assault. Bhanot was killed while shielding three children from gunfire. She was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra for her bravery.