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The details suggest the attack was far more severe than initially known and that the co-pilot may have intended to maim, if not kill, the captain in control of the aircraft
Smit Machchhar is undergoing treatment after being attacked on Flydubai flight FZ1073.
Fresh medical details are emerging about the Flydubai cockpit attack in which Captain Smit Machchar was attacked by the aircraft’s Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, with sources now indicating that the assault left the Indian pilot with a skull fracture and serious injuries to his head and hand.
The details suggest the attack was far more severe than initially known and that the co-pilot may have intended to maim, if not kill, the captain in control of the aircraft. Sources have told CNN-News18 that Captain Machchhar suffered a skull fracture after the axe attack, with the blow impacting his optic nerves and his vision.
“I tried to stop him. But because of the initial blows, my vision was almost nothing. I was completely blurred out,” Machchhar told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent conversation.
ALSO READ | Israel Was Prepared To Shoot Down Flydubai Plane With 150 Israelis Aboard After Cockpit Attack: Report
Now, emerging medical details suggest that the injury was much more severe than the blurring of vision.
People aware of the developments told CNN-News18 that when the Flydubai aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia, Machchhar had grievous injuries to his head and hand. Saudi authorities treated him for a skull fracture before he flew to the UAE for further treatment.
The injuries have also impacted the captain’s memory. “My memory is still in bits and pieces right now. But this is what I remember of that time,” he told Netanyahu.
The pilot’s wife, Sonal Machchhar, told CNN-News18 that the family is avoiding discussing the details of the attack with the pilot to prevent any kind of strain on him.
Sources said Machchhar is suffering from intense headaches and is being given heavy doses of sedatives and pain-relieving medicines. His neurological assessment is also being carried out as he continues to remain under observation. “He has started walking, taking a few steps, and has started eating a bit. So, it looks like he is on course to recovery,” a functionary aware of his condition told CNN-News18.
Machchhar is being treated at a specialised facility in Abu Dhabi, and the family has also expressed satisfaction with the medical care.
Sources said his initial statement has been recorded by investigating agencies in the UAE.
Machchhar has also expressed a desire to return to flying. Doctors, according to sources, are working overtime to ensure that his vision is fully restored and does not prove to be an impediment to the captain’s plans. “His positive spirit is a huge boost. He continues to smile through the ordeal,” a source said, adding that ‘Smit’ in Gujarati means “smile” and Captain Machchhar is living up to his name.
Quick Answers
Ask News18Captain Smit Machchhar suffered a skull fracture, grievous injuries to his head and hand, impacted optic nerves affecting his vision, and memory loss following the axe attack by co-pilot Hamam al-Hammami.
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Arunima is Editor (Home Affairs) and covers strategic, security and political affairs. From the Ukraine-Russia War to the India-China stand-off in Ladakh to India-Pak clashes, she has reported from gr…Read More
October 06, 2026, 2:37 PM IST
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