🇮🇳✈️ INDIAN PILOT HAILED AS A HERO AFTER SAVING 174 LIVES — BUT THE “FREE FLIGHTS FOREVER” CLAIM NEEDS A FACT CHECK Captain Smit Machchhar, a Mumbai-born Flydubai captain, became an international hero after the September 30 incident aboard Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft suffered a dramatic emergency after the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar in the cockpit. Despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene. Two Flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft subsequently helped stabilize the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and divert it safely to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. All 174 passengers survived. His courage has received praise from both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu called Machchhar a “true hero” and has invited him to Israel as a guest of honour, including an invitation to participate in Israel’s Independence Day ceremony next year. 🇮🇱 Israel has also publicly thanked Machchhar, with the Israeli Consulate in Mumbai putting up a billboard calling him a hero and wishing him a speedy recovery. ⚠️ Important fact check on the image: I could not find credible reporting confirming that the Israeli government has officially granted Captain Machchhar “free flights forever to Israel.” The verified reports currently describe an invitation to Israel and other honours—not a lifetime free-flight decree. So this graphic appears to be a tribute/satirical graphic rather than a confirmed official government document. Meanwhile, in India, travel company EaseMyTrip has reportedly offered Machchhar, his wife and children complimentary domestic air travel for five years. A remarkable story of courage, quick thinking and ordinary passengers stepping up when disaster struck. 🇮🇳❤️✈️ #SmitMachchhar #FlyDubai #India #Israel #Aviation - @axconworld