India, Oct. 2 -- Residents of Swastik Heights at Tilak Nagar, Chembur, gathered in large numbers in the building compound on Thursday noon to raise a cheer for Captain Smit Machchhar and demand that the government bestow a civil honour on him.

"We are so proud that Smit saved so many lives," said the pilot's uncle Kishor Machchhar. Another family friend, Vipul Mehta, promised a "grand felicitation when Smit is back in Mumbai."

Machchhar, the captain of Wednesday's flybydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv averted a major mid-air disaster when he fought back against the co-pilot of the aircraft who suddenly went rogue and stabbed Machchhar multiple times in an apparent effort to crash. As the Boing 737 MAX 8 carrying 174 passengers plunge...