UAE president's senior advisor calls flydubai plane hijacking 'dangerous terrorist attack'
Gargash said this while praising the Indian pilot of the flight, Capt. Smit Machchhar, who fought back against his Omani co-pilot and helped allow passengers into the cockpit and rescue the plane.
UAE President Anwar Gargash, in a statement on Friday, denounced the recent attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight bound for Tel Aviv as a "dangerous terrorist act." Gargash commended the actions of Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot on board, who bravely resisted his Omani co-pilot and facilitated the entry of passengers into the cockpit to save the plane from a potential catastrophe.
Gargash praised Machchhar's courage, responsibility, and professionalism in the face of a dire situation, describing him as a true hero. The UAE diplomat also emphasized the importance of vigilance in preventing future acts of extremism and terrorism, while urging against the spread of conspiracy theories about the incident.
Fortunately, Israeli passengers on board the flight were safely returned to Ben-Gurion Airport on Tuesday evening. They had initially embarked on a commercial FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where the hijacking took place. The hijacker-pilot, who was the deputy flight pilot, had stabbed the lead pilot and attempted to crash the aircraft.
However, as many as four passengers managed to subdue the attacker and tie him up. Subsequently, the remaining flight crew managed to land the plane safely in Saudi Arabia. Despite the ordeal, Captain Machchhar, the Indian pilot, remained in critical condition, having suffered multiple stab wounds from the Omani hijacker.
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