{
  "id": 11681820,
  "title": "'Part of our team': Sheikh Hamdan hails flydubai pilot after hospital visit",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/part-of-our-team-sheikh-hamdan-hails-flydubai-pilot-after-hospital-11681820",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-03T11:32:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uae/2026/10/03/part-of-our-team-sheikh-hamdan-hails-flydubai-pilot-after-hospital-visit/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On Saturday, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, visited Capt Smit Machchhar, a hero pilot from flydubai. The pilot was hospitalized after an attack by his co-pilot during a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Sheikh Hamdan expressed deep appreciation and praise for Capt Machchhar, lauding the pilot's courage, responsibility, and commitment to human life. The pilot managed to open the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to intervene as the plane plummeted thousands of feet. A few passengers and a standby pilot subdued the assailant co-pilot, managed to stabilize the aircraft, and safely landed it in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Sheikh Hamdan emphasized that Capt Machchhar is an integral part of the UAE's team and represents the values the nation stands for. The UAE's attorney general announced that the co-pilot had used a crash axe, which is typically kept for emergency purposes, to attempt a terrorist act. The investigation is ongoing to gather all the facts and motives behind the incident.",
  "summary": "Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, on Saturday offered the nation's \"full appreciation and praise\" to hero flydubai pilot, Capt Smit Machchhar, during a hospital visit. Sheikh Hamdan said the pilot - who is receiving care in Abu Dhabi after being attacked by his co-pilot on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday - \"embodied the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "'Part of our team': Sheikh Hamdan hails flydubai pilot after hospital visit",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/03/part-of-our-team-sheikh-hamdan-hails-flydubai-pilot-after-hospital",
        "published": "2026-10-03T11:32:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}