satou retweeted
Ed, you’re the Foreign Secretary. Words matter. This was a terror attack. The brave Indian pilot and Israeli passengers helped avert catastrophe. Why is it so difficult to name and condemn Islamist terrorism? Britain needs clarity and leadership.
satou retweeted
🚨 BREAKING 🚨 I’m told the co-pilot who was stabbed managed to use his leg to open the release button which enabled the Israeli and crew member to burst in.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
"This morning, there was a serious security incident on a flight from Dubai to Israel. Almost all the passengers on the flight were Israelis. During the flight, as they approached the country, one of the pilots stabbed the second pilot, and apparently tried to crash the plane with everyone on board.
I spoke with one of the Israeli passengers. He told me that the plane went into a spin and began to dive. He told me that, somehow or other, he managed to break into the cockpit with one of the crew members, and that together they neutralized the stabbing pilot while he was trying to sabotage the plane's systems. Another flight crew on board entered the cockpit and managed to stabilize the plane.
I salute these heroes, who displayed exceptional resourcefulness and courage. They saved many lives. They prevented a huge disaster.
The plane landed safely at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. All passengers are out of danger. The stabbing pilot was arrested and is currently being interrogated by the Saudi authorities.
We are maintaining constant communication with the relevant authorities to ensure the ongoing well-being of the passengers and their safe return home.
I have instructed the security services to prepare for additional potential threats.
We are holding ongoing situation assessments, and we will update you as the situation develops."
satou retweeted
In an intelligence-led joint operation with ATS Gujarat, and Central Intelligence Agency, @IndiaCoastGuard units interdicted a suspicious Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, west of #Lakshadweep. Positive detection, sustained tracking and a hot pursuit culminated in tactical boarding, successfully neutralizing a major transnational narco-smuggling vector.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 526 kg of high-grade heroin and methamphetamine valued at over ₹3,000 crore, alongside the apprehension of five #Pakistani crew members. The apprehended vessel along with crew has been escorted to Mumbai for multi-agency investigations and followed by prosecution.
Bharatiya Tatrakshak remains fully postured & committed to secure our maritime borders, dismantle drug syndicates to ensure #NashaMuktBharat, and protect the nation from transnational organised crimes.
#IndianCoastGuard #MaritimeSecurity #NashaMuktBharat #HarKaamDeshKeNaam
satou retweeted
Hommage au pilote indien, le commandant Smit Machchhar, pour son courage extraordinaire.
Bien que poignardé et grièvement blessé, il a riposté, ouvert la porte du cockpit et aidé les passagers et l'équipage à maîtriser l'agresseur, évitant ainsi une catastrophe en plein vol et sauvant 174 vies.
Nous prions tous pour son prompt rétablissement.
@PMOIndia @MEAIndia @IndianDiplomacy @PIB_India @mygovindia
A salute to Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.
Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker, preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster and saving 174 lives.
We all are praying for his speedy recovery.
satou retweeted
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump PRAISES HERO FlyDubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and the Israeli man who stormed the cockpit, SAVING the plane from a hijacking and terror attack
"He took the stick and LEVELED OUT THE PLANE BEFORE IT CRASHED."
"He RIPPED this guy out of the seat, threw him back, the passengers grabbed him!" 👏🏻
"A terrorist...he st*bbed the pilot...the pilot in bad shape had the sense to, amazing, a hero, to open the door!"
Absolutely incredible. EVERYONE in that plane was going to be dead if those heroes did not spring into action
Islamist terrorism is a HUGE ISSUE!
satou retweeted
Introducing the newly refreshed Grokipedia. grokipedia.com/
satou retweeted
#IGR: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar helps save 180 passengers during Flydubai cockpit attack
Indian captain Smit Machchhar reportedly fought off the co-pilot during a violent cockpit confrontation aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, helping prevent a potential disaster. The Dubai-Tel Aviv flight later landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all passengers accounted for.
satou retweeted
Introducing Gemini 4 Argon – our new frontier model.
It’s built for complex workflows across coding, enterprise knowledge work, and cybersecurity defense – rolling out today to a set of trusted testers through our Fairwind Program.
satou retweeted
A salute to Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.
Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, opened the cockpit door and helped passengers and crew overpower the attacker, preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster and saving 174 lives.
We all are praying for his speedy recovery.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.
Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster.
He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery.
He is a true hero.
satou retweeted
Our Embassy in Riyadh and Consulate in Jeddah have been following the health condition of Mr Smit Machchhar, the brave Indian pilot of Flydubai flight that was diverted to Tabuk today. He is admitted in a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and receiving necessary medical attention. A full update on his health is awaited but he is reported to be in stable condition. We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest. We are in touch with his family and assure them that we will continue to follow up on his health with Saudi authorities and extend all possible assistance for his wellbeing.
@MEAIndia
satou retweeted
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery.
Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster.
He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.
I wish Captain Machchhar a speedy and full recovery.
He is a true hero.
satou retweeted
The Roman Empire funded up to half its empire from tax on trade with India.
At the height of Rome’s power, the richest city in the western world ran a long, unbalanced trade account with a land its armies never reached. That was the Indian subcontinent. Pliny the Elder, who had governed provinces and knew what the mint produced, put the annual outflow at 50 million sesterces in bullion. The emperor Tiberius complained Roman wealth was passing to foreigners. Domitian built dedicated warehouses for pepper in the heart of the city. A single shipload, recorded in a surviving papyrus, was valued at close to 9 million sesterces. The historian @RaoulMcLaughlin has reckoned, on those numbers, that customs duties on Indian cargoes produced close to half the revenue needed to finance the whole empire. Two legions in Egypt held the customs house that made it work.
India sent pepper, ivory, gems, perfumes and medicines. Rome paid in bullion. The taxes on imports and exports produced the revenue that transformed the Roman elite and the empire itself.
Rome called the Mediterranean Our Sea. The Indian Ocean was economically far more consequential.
The fuller story is on my Substack, with the shipping records, the Tamil poems that describe Roman vessels from the Indian side, and the hoards of Roman gold still surfacing in southern India (link in replies below).
