Benjamin Netanyahu called Smit Machchhar "hero of the entire world” for foiling an alleged attempt by co-pilot to crash Israel-bound flight.

Israeli PM Netanyahu invites Indian flydubai captain, praised as a hero, to Israel for Independence Day ceremony after he survived a cockpit attack. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Indian pilot Smit Machchhar after he foiled an alleged cockpit threat on an Israel-bound flight. The call gave the incident diplomatic weight, along with praise and an invitation to Israel's Independence Day event.

A passenger aboard a flydubai flight said he feared the two mystery pilots who took control after Captain Smit Machchhar was attacked by his co-pilot inside the cockpit could hijack the jet to Iran. The pilots eventually stabilised the aircraft and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Netanyahu invites Captain Smit Machchhar and PM Modi to Israel’s Independence Day event after the Indian pilot helped save Flydubai Flight FZ1073.

The Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking Captain Smit Machchhar told investigators he wanted to crash the plane. The case has widened into a cross-border probe into vetting failures, radicalisation and possible outside links.

Co-pilot suspected lone-wolf attack on flydubai flight; reports name Hamam al-Hammami amid ongoing international investigations.

Indian Captain Smit Machcchar has revealed chilling details of what happened inside the cockpit during the attack while speaking to Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. Machcchar recounted that the Omani co-pilot used prayer as a tactic to attack him from behind with an axe. He also revealed that he opened the cockpit's door twice.

Questions about the motive of the co-pilot who tried to crash a packed flight from Dubai to Israel continue to swirl.

Israeli passengers say flydubai crew asked them to untie a co-pilot after a cockpit attack. UAE prosecutors are investigating the September 30 incident.

He is being investigated after he allegedly attacked Indian pilot Smit Machchhar with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft.

Captain Smit Machchhar recalls how he fought back after his co-pilot attacked him aboard Flydubai FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.