Flydubai Pilot Captain Smit Machchhar ‘In Good Health and Recovering Well’ in UAE Hospital, Says Indian Envoy

Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal on Thursday said Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar is “in good health and recovering well" after sustaining serious injuries while foiling an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash the flight. Mittal visited Machchhar and his family at the hospital, the Indian Embassy in the UAE said in a social media post, confirming that the veteran commander is receiving comprehensive medical care following his transfer to the Emirates.

Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. The plane, carrying 174 people, was forced to make an emergency landing in Tabuk in northwest Saudi Arabia following the incident. Machchhar was shifted to the UAE a day after he was admitted to a hospital in Tabuk to receive medical treatment, it is understood. Who Is Smit Machchhar? Indian Pilot Fights Off Cockpit Attack, Saves Flydubai Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight FZ1073 From Crashing.

Smit Machchhar ‘In Good Health and Recovering Well’

Diplomatic Support and Medical Transfer to the UAE

Following the pilot's medical transfer from Saudi Arabia, Indian diplomatic missions across the Gulf coordinated directly with regional authorities to facilitate specialized treatment.

“Captain Machchhar is in good health and recovering well," the embassy said. “The Embassy remains in close coordination with local authorities to ensure his continued medical care and well-being," the Indian mission in the UAE added.

The update follows an earlier statement issued on Wednesday night by the Indian Embassy in Riyadh, which confirmed that 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".

Critical Cockpit Struggle and Altitude Dive

The Indian pilot had sustained serious injuries during the cockpit struggle after his co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the aircraft. The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, stabbed Machchhar and sent the jet plunging nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.

Machchhar was covered with blood on the floor when he managed to draw on “the last moments of his energy" to click open the release on the cockpit door, The Times of Israel reported, quoting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson Doron Spielman.

The door release permitted cabin crew members and passengers to breach the flight deck, overpower the assailant, and pull him off the flight controls. Passengers on the flight reached Israel safely on Wednesday after the copilot’s attempt to crash the aircraft was foiled, while multinational authorities continue their investigation into the attack.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 01, 2026 09:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).