'Recovering well': MEA gives health update on flydubai hero pilot Smit Machchhar

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar is recovering well following an attack by his co-pilot during a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, according to a health update released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday. The incident occurred on September 30 while the aircraft was airborne, with the Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attempting to take control of the aircraft using a cockpit crash axe.

Machchhar, despite sustaining serious injuries, managed to overpower the co-pilot, unlock the cockpit door, and stabilize the plane, which had lost approximately 16,000 feet in just two minutes. The flight then made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and all 180 passengers safely disembarked. The UAE government is currently conducting an investigation to determine the motive and circumstances surrounding the attack, while the Indian embassy in UAE expressed support for Machchhar's recovery and thanked the UAE government for their care.