Indian pilot Smit Machchhar stable after foiling Flydubai cockpit attack

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who was seriously injured while foiling an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Flydubai flight, is in stable condition and receiving treatment at a hospital in Saudi Arabia, officials said on Thursday. The flight, travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, landed safely after the incident.

The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was admitted to a hospital in Tabuk city in northwest Saudi Arabia and was receiving medical attention. It said a full update on his health was awaited, but he was "reported to be in stable condition".

In a social media post, the embassy said it and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah were closely monitoring Machchhar's health and were in touch with his family. "We hope that he recovers from his injuries at the earliest. We are in touch with his family and assure them that we will continue to follow up on his health with Saudi authorities and extend all possible assistance for his well-being," the mission said.

Machchhar was stabbed in the cockpit of Flydubai flight FZ1073 on Wednesday by his co-pilot, who Israeli officials identified as an Omani national. Passengers on the flight reached Israel safely later that day after the attempt to crash the aircraft was foiled.

According to The Times of Israel, which quoted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson Doron Spielman, the co-pilot stabbed Machchhar and sent the jet plunging nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. The report said Machchhar, covered in blood on the floor, managed in "the last moments of his energy" to open the release on the cockpit door. That allowed passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot, while a second pair of Flydubai pilots who were on board landed the aircraft in Tabuk.

Netanyahu, in a statement, hailed Machchhar as a "true hero". Prime Minister Narendra Modi also praised him for his actions during the incident, describing him as a "hero" and saying his courage and resolve helped avert a major tragedy.

Saudi authorities are investigating the incident, while Indian officials remain in touch with Machchhar's family and continue to monitor his condition.