Capt Smit Machchhar recovering after cockpit attack on flydubai Tel Aviv flight
Indian pilot Capt. Smit Machchhar is recovering well and remains under excellent medical care after he was seriously injured in an attack by his co-pilot during a flydubai flight to Israel, the Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Saturday.
Machchhar was stabbed in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday while the aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The UAE, which is leading the investigation, said the co-pilot tried to carry out a "terrorist act" and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
In a post on X, the embassy said, "Indian braveheart Capt. Smit remains under excellent medical care & is recovering well. We are in touch with his family & local authorities, extending support for a speedy recovery." It also thanked the UAE government for providing medical care to Machchhar and said it joined well-wishers in praying for his recovery.
UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said the co-pilot used a crash axe to attack Machchhar and then tried to seize control of the plane, according to state-run WAM news agency. Earlier reports said Machchhar, despite his injuries, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to overpower the co-pilot. The co-pilot has been identified as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami, the Wall Street Journal reported, quoting people familiar with the matter.
The flight was carrying 174 passengers when it transmitted emergency signals and made a rapid descent of more than 17,000 feet from an altitude of 34,000 feet before making an emergency landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. After receiving initial treatment in Tabuk, Machchhar was shifted to Abu Dhabi for further medical care.
On Friday, Machchhar spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone and described how he fought to regain control of the cockpit despite being seriously injured. "I was fighting for my life, but I was determined not to let others die," Machchhar told Modi during the conversation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also hailed Machchhar as a "true hero" for his role in averting a possible tragedy.
The embassy's latest update said Machchhar is recovering, as the UAE investigation continues into the attack that forced an emergency landing and led to the co-pilot being overpowered.
