DUBAI: Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum on Saturday praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary courage after he helped prevent a potential catastrophe when his co-pilot attacked him during a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
The incident occurred on Wednesday aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, when Machchhar was seriously injured after being attacked inside the cockpit. He was subsequently taken to hospital for treatment.
Crown Prince Hamdan, who is also the UAE’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, visited the injured pilot and shared photographs of their meeting on X.
Praising Machchhar’s actions, the Crown Prince said the Indian pilot had demonstrated the highest levels of “courage, responsibility, and care for human life”, expressing appreciation on behalf of the UAE leadership.
“We are proud that he is part of our team… part of the story of our nation,” Hamdan said, describing the incident as reflective of the UAE’s values of compassion, peace and respect for human life.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE said Captain Machchhar was making steady progress and recovering well under medical care.
According to UAE authorities, the co-pilot attempted what was described as a “terrorist act” and used a crash axe in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft. Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to intervene and subdue the attacker.
The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, issued distress signals and made a steep descent from around 34,000 feet before conducting an emergency landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar received emergency treatment in Tabuk before being transferred to Abu Dhabi for specialised medical care.
The incident is under investigation by UAE authorities, while the pilot continues to recover.
