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The pilot was initially treated at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after Flydubai flight FZ1073 made an emergency landing there following the incident.
Smit Machchhar Health Update: Indian Pilot ‘Recovering Well’ After Flydubai Cockpit Attack
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who was seriously injured while foiling an attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Flydubai flight, has been shifted to Abu Dhabi for further medical treatment and recovery, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The pilot was initially treated at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after Flydubai flight FZ1073 made an emergency landing there following the incident.
The MEA said it was closely monitoring Machchhar’s health and praised him for his actions during the incident. “We continue to closely follow the health condition of Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national and the brave pilot of FlyDubai flight FZ 1073,” the ministry said.
Pilot shifted from Tabuk to Abu Dhabi
According to the MEA, Machchhar has now been moved to Abu Dhabi after receiving initial medical treatment in Tabuk. “After receiving initial medical treatment in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, he has now been shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical attention and recovery,” the ministry said.
The Indian Ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, visited Machchhar and his family at the hospital on Thursday. The Indian Embassy in the UAE said Mittal enquired about the pilot’s well-being. It added that the ambassador had earlier met Machchhar’s family and assured them of all possible support for his health and recovery.
“Captain Machchhar is in good health and recovering well,” the embassy said in a social media post. Machchhar was shifted to the UAE a day after he was admitted to the hospital in Tabuk for medical treatment, it is understood. The embassy said it remained in close coordination with local authorities to ensure the pilot’s continued medical care and well-being.
At A Glance
Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot, was seriously injured while foiling an attempt by his co-pilot to crash Flydubai flight FZ1073.
The Flydubai flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv and carried 174 people.
The aircraft made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the incident.
Captain Machchhar was initially treated in Tabuk and later shifted to Abu Dhabi for further medical treatment.
The aircraft plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds during the incident.
‘We once again salute’ Machchhar
The MEA also praised Machchhar for his actions during the Flydubai incident. “We once again salute Captain Smit Machchhar’s valour and courage,” the ministry said. It added that India also conveyed its “deep appreciation for the admiration and support” Machchhar had received from across the world for his act of gallantry.
The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai are also in close touch with local authorities regarding the matter, the MEA said.
Machchhar was earlier stable
On Wednesday night, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was admitted to a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and was receiving necessary medical attention. He was “reported to be in stable condition”, the embassy said at the time. Machchhar sustained serious injuries during a struggle in the cockpit after his co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the aircraft.
The Flydubai flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the incident took place. The aircraft was carrying 174 people and was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk following the incident.
Passengers on the flight later reached Israel safely after the co-pilot’s alleged attempt to crash the aircraft was foiled.
Pilot opened cockpit door despite injuries
The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, allegedly stabbed Machchhar inside the cockpit.
The aircraft then plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. According to The Times of Israel, which quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson Doron Spielman, Machchhar was covered in blood and managed to use the “last moments of his energy” to click open the release on the cockpit door. This allowed others on board to intervene during the cockpit struggle.
The MEA said its embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai would continue to coordinate with local authorities on Machchhar’s medical care and well-being.
Quick Answers
Ask News18After receiving initial medical treatment at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Captain Smit Machchhar was shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical attention and recovery.
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Shuddhanta Patra is an Indian journalist with about nine years of experience in covering national politics, geopolitics, defence, diplomacy and international affairs. Her reporting focuses on South As…Read More
October 01, 2026, 10:51 PM IST
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