An Indian airline captain has been praised for his bravery after a copilot allegedly stabbed him during a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel, prompting passengers and crew to intervene and helping prevent a possible disaster.

Capt. Smit Machchhar, from Mumbai, was seriously injured while flying the Boeing 737 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. Witnesses and Israeli authorities said the aircraft descended sharply as the incident unfolded and passengers rushed into the cockpit to restrain the attacker.

The flight, carrying 174 people, was diverted and made an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was taken to a hospital and was in stable condition, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Wednesday night. Embassy officials were in contact with his family and Saudi authorities.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar as a hero on Thursday, saying he showed "immense courage" despite being seriously injured and helped protect the lives of others.

Little information is publicly available about Machchhar. His LinkedIn profile says he has worked for FlyDubai for about four years. Before that, he spent 11 years with Indian low-cost carrier SpiceJet, where he served as a senior commander and line training captain.

He has more than 9,750 hours of flying experience, according to the profile.

Machchhar is married with two children. He trained at Mainland Air in Dunedin, New Zealand, for 18 months from 2008, the school's CEO Philip Kean told 1News.

Kean said Machchhar performed well during his training and later returned to India, where he worked as a recruiter for the school.

"We're all very proud of him here and wish him a speedy recovery," Kean said.

SpiceJet also praised Machchhar's "heroic courage" and "selfless actions" in a post on X, calling him a hero.

The incident prompted a major security response in Israel, with fighter jets scrambled amid concerns that the plane could have been hijacked.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker, identified as an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and was being questioned there. His motive was not immediately known.

Netanyahu also praised Machchhar's bravery, saying the captain fought back after being stabbed, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew restrain the attacker.

"He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals," Netanyahu wrote on X.

In Ghatkopar East, the Mumbai neighborhood where Machchhar's family lives, neighbors described him as easy-going and praised his courage.

"He has a lot of bravery in him," said neighbor Ami Sapani.