In a moving show of support, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited Captain Smit Machchhar in the hospital on Saturday. Sheikh Hamdan praised the Indian pilot for demonstrating “the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life” during a perilous mid-air security crisis aboard a flydubai flight.
The incident unfolded mid-flight when the aircraft’s co-pilot launched a sudden attack on Captain Machchhar inside the cockpit, leaving him severely injured. Despite sustaining significant injuries while the plane lost altitude, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door. Passengers and off-duty crew members rushed in to assist in overpowering the attacker, enabling two additional flydubai pilots on board to take control and safely divert the aircraft carrying 174 passengers to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was later airlifted to the UAE, where he is undergoing treatment.
During the visit, Sheikh Hamdan conveyed the gratitude of the UAE leadership. “From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise,” Sheikh Hamdan stated on X. “We are proud that he is part of our team, part of the story of our nation, and part of what the UAE stands for—a nation of compassion, peace, and life”.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE confirmed that Captain Machchhar is stable and recovering well under excellent medical care, expressing gratitude to the UAE government for their prompt support. Meanwhile, UAE authorities are conducting an investigation into the attack, treating the incident as an attempted terrorist act as investigators review motives and digital evidence.