The US House of Representatives has introduced a bipartisan resolution honouring Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his role in preventing an alleged terrorist attack aboard flydubai Flight 1073, while also recognising the courage of the crew and passengers who helped avert a potential catastrophe.

The resolution was introduced on 5 October by Congressmen Josh Gottheimer, Don Bacon and Michael McCaul and has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It honours Machchhar and all those involved in securing the aircraft, while condemning the incident as an act of terrorism.

Flight 1073 departed Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on 30 September carrying about 174 passengers, including four US citizens and 27 children. Most of those on board were reported to be Israeli citizens.

According to the resolution, the aircraft’s first officer allegedly attacked Captain Machchhar in the cockpit with the plane’s emergency crash axe in an attempt to seize control of the flight. During the struggle, the aircraft suffered a dramatic loss of more than 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds, creating a major aviation emergency.

Despite sustaining severe injuries, Machchhar resisted the attack and managed to unlock the cockpit door. His actions enabled off-duty pilots travelling on board to enter the flight deck and assist in regaining control, while cabin crew members and passengers helped restrain the alleged attacker.

The aircraft was safely diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed with all passengers and crew accounted for. The alleged assailant was subsequently detained.

The resolution notes that the Attorney General of the United Arab Emirates announced on 3 October that the Emirati investigation had concluded that the first officer had attempted to carry out a terrorist act.

Lawmakers praised Machchhar’s “extraordinary courage” in protecting everyone on board and commended the off-duty pilots, cabin crew and passengers whose swift intervention helped prevent disaster. The measure also wishes a full recovery to Machchhar and others injured during the incident.

In addition, the resolution calls for a full and expeditious investigation by Saudi Arabia and the UAE and urges that both the United States and Israel be kept informed of developments and findings.

The Indian Embassy in the UAE has stated that Captain Machchhar is making steady progress in his recovery and remains under close medical supervision. The mission said it is maintaining contact with his family, healthcare teams and local authorities while extending all possible assistance.

Messages of support have continued to pour in from across the world. The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi recently organised special prayers and an abhishek ceremony for the pilot’s recovery, with saints, volunteers and community members gathering to honour his actions and support his family.

The temple said prayers would continue until Machchhar has fully recovered, expressing hope that he will eventually visit the Abu Dhabi Mandir with his family.

Reports from Israeli and international media have stated that Omani co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly intended to direct the aircraft towards Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli authorities reportedly treated the incident as a potential hijacking, scrambled fighter aircraft and temporarily heightened airspace security measures before determining that the flight had diverted towards Saudi Arabia.

Separate reports indicated that Saudi Arabia also dispatched fighter jets as the emergency unfolded. Israeli officials later stood down their response once it became clear the aircraft was preparing for an emergency landing rather than proceeding towards Tel Aviv.

US President Donald Trump later said he personally believed Iran was responsible for the attempted terrorist attack. However, no official investigation findings publicly released so far have attributed responsibility beyond the individual accused attacker.

The incident has attracted significant international attention, with Captain Machchhar receiving widespread praise from political leaders, aviation professionals and members of the public for actions credited with saving every life on board and preventing what could have become one of the most serious aviation security incidents in recent years.