DOMINANT ANGLE
New Delhi is celebrating Commander Smit Machchhar: the Indian press is hailing the injured pilot as the hero of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, well before questions of security or diplomacy.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
Netanyahu praised on X "the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar" for his "extraordinary bravery" and stated that he had saved 174 people (Deccan Chronicle).
- 02
According to Ynet cited by The Hindu Business Line, the suspected co-pilot is an Omani national; the Indian captain fought him before Israeli passengers helped to subdue him.
- 03
The Times of India reports that Miri Regev is calling for the suspension of all flydubai flights to Israel and an investigation into compliance with the air agreement with the Emirates.
ANALYSIS
New Delhi, October 1, 2026. In the Indian press, the emergency landing of flydubai flight FZ1073 in Tabouk on Wednesday, September 30, is first and foremost the story of a compatriot. The Times of India reports on the Indian embassy, which states that the pilot is receiving "the necessary medical care". NDTV and Free Press Journal look back on the career of Captain Smit Machchhar and his comments from a year ago on the importance of cabin crew: "when things are going wrong, you need them".
The account of the facts comes almost entirely from Israeli sources. The Hindu Business Line cites the Ynet website, according to which the co-pilot, an Omani national, allegedly tried to crash the plane and the Indian captain fought him off before Israeli passengers helped him subdue him. The Times of India reports the testimony of Tzika Manes on Channel 12: three passengers took 20 to 25 minutes to neutralize the aggressor, tied up with wired headphones. Another passenger, Yaniv, allegedly righted the plane by pulling the controls.
The technical data is reported without comment. Swarajya details the code 7700 and then the code 7500 seven minutes later, and a descent of 17,400 feet in a little over two minutes. The AP agency, via Hindu Business Line, mentions a drop from 33,000 to 17,000 feet in about one minute. The newspaper notes that Saudi Arabia has hospitalized the captain and the first officer.
The Israeli discourse is relayed with its nuances. Benyamin Netanyahu praises on X "the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar" for his "extraordinary bravery": seriously injured, he allegedly saved 174 people. The Times of India also quotes Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who speaks of a "terrorist" who wanted to kill the Israelis on board, and Transport Minister Miri Regev, who demands the suspension of flydubai flights to Israel and an investigation into the respect of the air agreement with the Emirates.
Swarajya recalls that the Israeli Prime Minister's office initially did not believe it was a hijacking and that a official spoke of an "internal incident" between crew members. Flydubai indicates that its teams are working with the authorities and that a technical investigation is open. The exact cause of the aggression remains, in these articles, unestablished.
SOURCES (5)
- Times of IndiaMEDIUM
- The Hindu Business LineMEDIUM
- SwarajyaMEDIUM
- Deccan ChronicleMEDIUM
- Free Press JournalMEDIUM
