New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has been hailed as a "true hero" after being attacked and stabbed by another pilot in the cockpit of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Machchhar was the captain of the Boeing 737 Max when the incident took place on Wednesday. The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia, where Machchhar was taken to hospital.

He remains in a stable condition, according to the Indian embassy in Riyadh.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Machchhar a "true hero", saying he saved the lives of 174 people and prevented a "catastrophic mid-air disaster".

A BBC report said Machchhar's longtime friend and fellow pilot Captain Dharav Gosalia recalled his reaction after le...