Recovering well: Indian Embassy updates on pilot Smit Machchhar after cockpit attack
Captain Smit Machchhar was injured while helping stop an alleged crash attempt on a Flydubai flight. Indian officials said he is recovering well as passengers reached Israel safely.
Last UpdatedOct 1, 2026 20:40 IST 
Published byIndian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured while stopping an attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, is "in good health and recovering well", the Indian Embassy in the UAE said on Thursday.
The flight, carrying 174 people, made an emergency landing in Tabuk in north-west Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after the incident in the cockpit. Passengers later reached Israel safely after the attempt to bring down the aircraft was foiled.
According to the Indian mission, Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal visited Captain Machchhar and his family at the hospital. In a post on social media, the mission said, "Captain Machchhar is in good health and recovering well."
It added, "The Embassy remains in close coordination with local authorities to ensure his continued medical care and well-being."
It is understood that Machchhar was moved to the UAE a day after being admitted to a hospital in Tabuk city for medical treatment.
On Wednesday night, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh had said the pilot was "admitted in a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and receiving necessary medical attention" and was "reported to be in stable condition."
Israeli officials identified the co-pilot as an Omani national. According to reports, he stabbed Machchhar and sent the aircraft plunging nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.
The Times of Israel, quoting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson Doron Spielman, reported that Machchhar was covered in blood on the floor when he used "the last moments of his energy" to open the cockpit door release.
The report said this allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot, after which a second pair of Flydubai pilots on board landed the aircraft in Tabuk. Netanyahu, in a statement, hailed Machchhar as a "true hero".
The incident ended with the plane grounded in Tabuk, the injured pilot under treatment, and all passengers reaching their destination safely.
With PTI Inputs