Dubai Crown Prince praises pilot after attack
Dubai's Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum commended Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery after a mid-flight attack on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The incident occurred on Wednesday, causing severe injuries to Captain Machchhar who was stabbed inside the cockpit.
The Crown Prince, also UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, visited the injured pilot and shared photos of their meeting on social media, praising the pilot's "courage, responsibility, and care for human life." Crown Prince Hamdan expressed the nation's full appreciation and praise for Captain Machchhar, emphasizing the UAE's values of compassion, peace, and life.
Indian Embassy in UAE reported that Captain Machchhar is recovering well under excellent medical care, and the embassy joined well-wishers in praying for his swift recovery. The co-pilot, an Omani national named Hamam al-Hammami, was reportedly attempting a "terrorist act" using a crash axe. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, issued distress signals and executed an emergency landing at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the attacker was subdued by Captain Machchhar.
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