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Stabbed flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar now stable, ‘smiling and laughing’ in Abu Dhabi hospital: Envoy
Smit Machchhar was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk after the mid-air incident before being shifted to Abu Dhabi for further medical treatment.
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Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot stabbed aboard flydubai flight FZ1073, is recovering well and “smiling, laughing, chatting” at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, India’s ambassador to the UAE, Deepak Mittal, has said.
Mittal met Machchhar and his family at the hospital and said the pilot was in a stable condition and receiving good medical care. Despite some discomfort, the pilot’s morale was high, the ambassador said on Thursday.
“I just met him along with his family here, in the hospital, in UAE, and he's doing well. I was very relieved to see, and very reassured, that he's doing well, he's quite stable. He was talking, he was chatting, a bit of discomfort, but I think he's under good medical care here in UAE,” Mittal told Prasar Bharati.
Deep Dive
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The ministry of external affairs on Thursday said it was closely monitoring Machchhar’s health and assured his family of all possible support. The pilot was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the incident before being shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical treatment and recovery.
“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. Our ambassador in UAE met Captain Machchhar in hospital and enquired about his well being,” the statement, shared by MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal read.
The Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Consulate in Dubai are in close contact with local authorities over the matter. The MEA also praised Machchhar’s “valour and courage” and thanked people across the world for the support and admiration extended to the pilot following the incident.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised the “hero” pilot, saying Machchhar showed courage while seriously injured and helped avert a major tragedy.
What happened on flydubai flight FZ1073
On September 30, flydubai flight FZ1073 was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when Machchhar's co-pilot allegedly stabbed him. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, was carrying 174 passengers and eight crew when the incident occurred, according to Saudi authorities.
ALSO READ | flydubai co-pilot was ‘religious extremist’, ‘refused to shake hands with women’, says colleague
Machchhar was reportedly assaulted by his co-pilot, leaving both pilots injured. The aircraft was subsequently diverted and landed safely at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft nose-diving, falling more than 14,000 feet in less than half a minute at one stage. The aircraft also transmitted emergency signals, including code 7700 for a general emergency and code 7500, which indicates unlawful interference or a possible hijacking. The co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar and attempted to take control of the aircraft.
Machchhar, despite being injured, is reported to have helped open the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene. Passengers and crew members helped restrain the attacker, while additional pilots on board subsequently took control of the aircraft. The plane was then diverted to Tabuk, where the injured pilots were taken to hospital.
The motive behind the cockpit attack remains under investigation.
Saudi authorities said Machchhar and the co-pilot were taken to hospital in Tabuk after the emergency landing. Once their condition improved and they were medically cleared, both were moved to Abu Dhabi on Thursday morning accompanied by an Emirati security team. Passengers continued their journey to Tel Aviv later on a replacement flydubai aircraft.
