Dubai Crown Prince Meets Indian Pilot Smit Machchhar, Praises Courage After Mid-Air Attack
Dubai's Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar in hospital on Saturday and praised his courage in preventing what UAE authorities say could have been a far graver tragedy aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel.
Captain Machchhar, who was commanding flydubai flight FZ1073, was stabbed and seriously injured in the cockpit on September 30 while the aircraft was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The United Arab Emirates, which is leading the investigation, has said the co-pilot attempted to carry out a "terrorist act".
Posting photographs of the hospital meeting on X, the Crown Prince, who is also the UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, said the pilot had "embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life". "From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise," he said. "We are proud that he is part of our team... part of the story of our nation... and part of what the UAE stands for... a nation of compassion... a nation of peace... and a nation of life."
According to UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi, the co-pilot used a crash axe to attack Captain Machchhar and attempted to take control of the aircraft, the state-run WAM news agency reported. Despite his injuries, the captain managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot, according to earlier reports.
The Wall Street Journal, quoting people familiar with the matter, identified the co-pilot as Omani national Hamam al-Hammami. That identification has not been officially confirmed by the UAE authorities, and no finding of guilt has been announced. The investigation is continuing, and the accused is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless and until a competent court rules otherwise.
The flight was carrying 174 passengers. It transmitted emergency signals and made a rapid descent of more than 17,000 feet from an altitude of 34,000 feet before landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. After receiving initial treatment in Tabuk, Captain Machchhar was shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Saturday that Captain Machchhar was recovering well and remained under medical supervision. "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," the embassy said in a post on X. It thanked the UAE government for the medical care provided and said it joined well-wishers in praying for his recovery.
The incident has drawn attention to aviation security arrangements on commercial flights. Cockpit doors on modern airliners are reinforced and are opened only from inside, which is why the captain's decision to open the door after being attacked proved decisive. Carriers and regulators are expected to review crew access and screening procedures in the light of the investigation's findings.
flydubai is a Dubai government-owned airline that operates scheduled services across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. Its Dubai–Tel Aviv route runs under the normalisation of relations between the UAE and Israel, which has expanded people-to-people and commercial links since 2020. The UAE is also home to a large Indian expatriate community, and Indian pilots and other aviation professionals serve with several carriers in the Gulf.
Officials in both countries have said support is being extended to Captain Machchhar's family, and that further details of the investigation will be made public as they are confirmed. This report is based on statements from UAE authorities, the Indian Embassy and international media accounts, and will be updated as verified information becomes available.
