Indian Envoy Deepak Mittal Says He Was ‘Very Reassured’ After Meeting Captain Machchhar
Captain Smit Machchhar is recovering after sustaining serious injuries while helping prevent an alleged attempt to crash a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight.
DUBAI, Oct 1: Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal on Thursday met Captain Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured while reportedly thwarting an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Flydubai aircraft.
Mittal said he was “very reassured” after meeting Machchhar and confirmed that the pilot was in good health and recovering well. The ambassador also thanked the UAE government for providing support and medical care to the injured pilot.
“We are proud of Capt Smit for his bravery to save so many lives and avert a tragedy,” Mittal said in a post on X.
The ambassador had earlier met Machchhar’s family and conveyed the Government of India’s full support for his welfare and well-being.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE said Mittal visited Machchhar and his family at the hospital. It added that the mission was coordinating closely with local authorities to ensure the pilot continued to receive appropriate medical treatment.
Machchhar was injured on Wednesday after being attacked by his co-pilot inside the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft, carrying 174 people, subsequently made an emergency landing in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The pilot was initially admitted to a hospital in Tabuk after the incident and was later shifted to the UAE for further medical care.
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh had said on Wednesday night that Machchhar was receiving necessary treatment at a hospital in Tabuk and was in stable condition.
According to reports, the co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, attacked Machchhar and the aircraft subsequently lost nearly 14,000 feet of altitude in less than 30 seconds.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar reportedly managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew members to intervene. The co-pilot was then overpowered, while two other Flydubai pilots travelling on the aircraft assisted in bringing the plane under control and landing safely in Tabuk.
All passengers on the flight reached Israel safely following the emergency landing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson Doron Spielman, as quoted by The Times of Israel, said Machchhar had been covered in blood but used his remaining strength to open the cockpit door.
Netanyahu also praised the Indian pilot, describing Machchhar as a “true hero” for his actions during the incident.
