Prime Minister Narendra Modi (unseen) virtually speaks to Captain Smit Machchhar, who saved hundreds of lives aboard a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, in New Delhi on October 2.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Ministry of External Affairs released a statement on Thursday (October 1, 2026) noting that the Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar had been shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical attention and recovery.
Mr. Machchhar was attacked during an altercation inside the cockpit of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday (September 30, 2026). The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where he received initial medical treatment.
The MEA said it was closely monitoring the pilot’s health.
“We continue to closely follow the health condition of Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national and the brave pilot of Flydubai flight FZ 1073,” the Ministry said in the statement.
“Our Ambassador in UAE met Captain Machchhar in hospital and enquired about his well being,” it added. The Ambassador had also met his family and assured all possible support for the Captain’s health and well being.
On September 30, 2026, the Indian pilot was stabbed by his co-pilot mid-air in an attempt to crash the plane. Passengers and crew helped Mr. Machchhar avoid what could have been a major disaster. The motive behind the co-pilot stabbing Mr. Machchhar and causing the flight scare is being ascertained by authorities.
Captain Smit Machchhar has been hailed as a “hero” by leaders across the globe, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. President Donald Trump, after an act of bravery on board the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight staved off a major air crash and saved the lives of 174 passengers, including 27 children.
Published – October 03, 2026 12:11 pm IST
