When Captain Dharav Gosalia first received news of the terrifying incident that befell his long-time friend Smit Machchhar, the first sensation he felt was sheer disbelief that sent goosebumps across his skin. Their decades-long bond stretches back to when both men were 20-year-old aspiring pilots, neighbors in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar suburb, who went on to train together in New Zealand. Machchhar was Gosalia’s senior, and the pair later worked side-by-side for six years at India’s SpiceJet, where they co-piloted Boeing 737 aircraft across regional routes. When their careers diverged, Machchhar relocated to Dubai to join Flydubai in 2022, while Gosalia stayed with Air India to pilot larger Boeing 777 jets. Despite the distance, the two stayed connected, checking in regularly via WhatsApp and phone calls to swap stories about new routes, share family updates, and discuss the daily rhythms of life as commercial pilots.