US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau praised on Saturday Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar and the other passengers who overpowered the co-pilot of flydubai flight FZ1073, who allegedly tried to crash the plane, according to the Hindustan Times.

Landau wrote that he wanted to express his utmost respect and awe to the pilot and the mostly Israeli passengers for preventing what would have been one of the world’s most horrific terrorist incidents. Passengers said the crew asked them to untie the Omani co-pilot who attacked the pilot-in-command and that they had no idea why, according to the Hindustan Times.