World · India Bureau
Prayers offered for Indian pilot who saved 174 lives during cockpit attack
Captain Smit Mhatre, who heroically prevented a catastrophe aboard a Dubai-bound flight after being attacked by a co-pilot, is receiving religious blessings for his recovery. Hindu prayers and rituals were conducted at a temple in Asansol to wish the injured pilot well.
LSN India ·
Religious ceremonies including Mahamrityunjay recitations, fire rituals and sacred prayers were performed at the Shiva temple premises in Dhemo Coal Colliery near Asansol in West Bengal to seek the swift recovery of Captain Smit Mhatre. The pilot sustained injuries during a violent altercation with a co-pilot aboard a flydubai aircraft on September 30 as the plane prepared to depart Dubai for Tel Aviv. Despite his injuries, Captain Mhatre demonstrated exceptional courage and composure in securing the safety of all 174 passengers and crew members on board the aircraft, preventing a potential tragedy at a critical moment. The incident highlighted the pilot's professionalism and quick thinking under extreme duress, earning him widespread recognition across India and beyond. Well-wishers, including members of the local community in Asansol, gathered to conduct the traditional Hindu rituals seeking divine intervention for the captain's complete physical and emotional recovery.