Indian Pilot Injured in Flight Deck Confrontation Recovering Well

Dubai/ Abu Dhabi: The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi says Captain Smit Machchhar is getting excellent medical care and recovering well. In a health update posted on X on Saturday, the embassy said it is in touch with his family and local authorities, and it thanked the UAE government for his care.

Machchhar, a Dubai-based Indian pilot with flydubai, was injured in a violent confrontation on the flight deck of a Wednesday flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. He was in command of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 when the aircraft set the emergency transponder code 7700, and he was reportedly stabbed by the co-pilot. The flight diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was later airlifted to Abu Dhabi for treatment, and Indian Ambassador to the UAE Dr Deepak Mittal visited him and his family at the hospital on Thursday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Machchhar a hero, saying his courage helped save hundreds of lives and avert a great tragedy. The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) also commended the courage and quick response of the pilot, the crew of flight FZ1073 and the passengers who helped bring the situation under control.