UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited injured Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar in hospital and praised his courage during the incident.
Machchhar was injured after his Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flydubai flight, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on September 30.
The incident took place on flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. The aircraft carried over 170 people. The flight made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after the co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain inside the cockpit.
Here is a look at the key developments:
Dubai prince visits injured Indian pilot
UAE Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed visited Captain Smit Machchhar in hospital and praised his conduct during the incident.
Sheikh Hamdan described the Indian pilot as someone who showed courage, responsibility and care for human life.
“During a visit to Captain Smit Machchhar… the flydubai pilot who embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life. From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote in a post on X.
“We are proud that he is part of our team… part of the story of our nation… and part of what the UAE stands for… a nation of compassion… a nation of peace… and a nation of life,” he wrote.
The visit came as Machchhar continued his recovery in a UAE hospital after suffering injuries during the attack. The UAE government expressed its appreciation for his actions.
Indian Embassy gives health update
The Indian Embassy in the UAE also issued an update on Machchhar’s condition. The embassy said the pilot was recovering well under medical supervision. It added that it remained in contact with his family and local authorities.
“UPDATE: Indian braveheart Capt. Smit remains under excellent medical care & is recovering well. We are in touch with his family & local authorities, extending support for a speedy recovery,” the embassy said in a post on X.
The embassy also thanked the UAE government for the medical care provided to the pilot.
PM Modi speaks to Captain Smit Machchhar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also spoke to Machchhar after the incident. Machchhar’s family said they felt relieved after seeing him interact with PM Modi.
His uncle, Kishore Machchhar, said the family had been under severe stress because the pilot was receiving treatment in another country. “I feel so proud. Love is being poured from everywhere,” Kishore Machchhar said, according to ANI report.
He said the family had initially received information from the company that Machchhar was safe. However, they remained worried until they saw him themselves.
“Most of all, we felt relieved seeing him on television yesterday and knowing that he is okay. May he come home as soon as possible,” he said.
Kishore said the family had struggled to get clear information about where Machchhar was receiving treatment. “Then yesterday, when he spoke to the Prime Minister and we saw him, we took a breath,” he said.
PM Modi had earlier praised Machchhar for his “patience, presence of mind, and courage”. He also said the pilot’s actions helped prevent what he described as a “9/11-style tragedy”.
Family says pilot is recovering
Machchhar’s aunt, Sonal Machchhar, also spoke about his condition. She described him as a calm child and said the family felt reassured after seeing him speak to PM Modi.
“He was a very calm child. He has been a very good kid and now has shown great bravery,” she said. “We felt relieved after seeing him speaking to PM Modi. We saw in the video that he is very injured, but he will be fine,” she added, as reported by ANI.
The family also described Machchhar as a simple person who remained focused on his work. His uncle said he was also religious. Pasted markdown
Gujarat announces award for Machchhar
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award for Machchhar. The award recognises his actions during the flight incident.
Machchhar suffered injuries after the co-pilot attacked him inside the cockpit. Despite those injuries, he managed to reach the cockpit door and helped passengers and other crew members enter the cockpit. The passengers then helped overpower the co-pilot.
What happened aboard the flight?
Flydubai flight FZ1073 left Dubai at 0305 GMT on September 30. The aircraft was travelling towards Tel Aviv with more than 170 passengers and crew members on board.
At about 0521 GMT, while the plane was in Saudi airspace, it made a sudden turn and plunged towards the ground. Reuters reported that the aircraft lost more than 16,000 feet during the most dramatic part of the descent.
The aircraft then sent distress signals indicating an emergency and unlawful interference. It changed course over Jordanian airspace and diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, reported Reuters.
The aircraft’s transponder was switched off for nearly half an hour at one point.
Co-pilot attacked captain with an axe
The UAE prosecutor general said the co-pilot attacked Machchhar inside the cockpit using a crash axe. The axe is normally kept in the cockpit for use during emergencies.
Machchhar was wounded and fell to the cockpit floor during the attack, reported Reuters. He later managed to open the cockpit door.
That allowed passengers to enter the cockpit and overpower the co-pilot. The UAE prosecutor general later described the incident as an attempted “terrorist attack”.
“Investigations into the incident involving flydubai flight FZ1073 found that the co-pilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist attack,” UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi said, according to Reuters report.
He said the co-pilot attacked the pilot with a crash axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Pasted markdown
Passengers helped stop the attack
Passengers played a major role after Machchhar opened the cockpit door. At least four passengers rushed towards the cockpit and helped restrain the co-pilot, reported Reuters.
One passenger pulled the co-pilot away from the controls with help from others.Two other passengers reportedly attacked and restrained him using earphone cables.
A doctor on board also treated the injured captain. One passenger managed to steady the aircraft before off-duty pilots took control. That passenger said he knew how to operate some aircraft controls after watching an air-crash television programme, according to Reuters.
Two off-duty pilots then took control of the aircraft and helped land it in Tabuk. Pasted markdown
Two off-duty pilots helped land the plane
The aircraft had two off-duty flydubai pilots among those on board. The two pilots took control after passengers subdued the co-pilot.
The plane eventually landed safely at Tabuk airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. All 180 people on board safely disembarked.
Saudi authorities detained the co-pilot after the aircraft landed. The co-pilot was later transferred from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi, reported Reuters.
Suspect identified as Omani national
The suspected attacker has been identified as Hammam al-Hammami, an Omani national, reported Reuters. Two sources with knowledge of the incident told Reuters that the co-pilot was al-Hammami. Israeli officials had also said that the suspect was Omani.
The UAE and flydubai had not initially publicly identified the co-pilot. The UAE prosecutor general later confirmed that the co-pilot had attacked the captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft, reported Reuters. However, the investigation into the suspect’s motive remains open.
What is known about the suspect’s past?
CBS News, citing sources, reported that he had previously trained with Oman Air. According to those sources, surveillance during his training detected visits to radical websites. The sources told CBS News that Oman Air later moved him to desk duties.
The file also cites Al Arabiya English, which reported that al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman because of concerns about extremist views.
However, these claims have not all been publicly confirmed by Omani authorities.
Reuters separately reported that al-Hammami had trained with Royal Air Maroc in 2025, but the airline rejected his subsequent application for employment.
Royal Air Maroc told Reuters that he had completed three months of training with the airline. It did not provide further details about why his application was rejected.
UAE calls it ‘terrorist attack’
The UAE prosecutor general formally described the incident as an attempted “terrorist attack”, reported Reuters. That statement came after earlier reports referred to the incident as an apparent attempt to crash the aircraft.
The UAE said the co-pilot attacked the captain with a crash axe and tried to take control of the aircraft. However, the investigation into the suspect’s motives remains underway.
The UAE has taken charge of the investigation because the aircraft is registered in the UAE and operates under its flag, reported Reuters.
Saudi Arabia conducted the preliminary investigation with UAE security teams. Israeli investigators are also expected to participate, according to Reuters report.
Plane plunged over 16,000 feet
The aircraft suffered a dramatic loss of altitude during the struggle in the cockpit. The plane dropped more than 16,000 feet in about 30 seconds during its steepest descent, reported Reuters.
Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24, reviewed by Reuters, put the total drop at about 16,625 feet. At its steepest point, the aircraft lost altitude at about 544 feet, or 166 metres, per second.
The aircraft eventually stabilised after passengers and pilots intervened.
Why did co-pilot get onto the Tel Aviv flight?
Israel normally has strict screening rules for pilots travelling to the country. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel would examine the “loophole” that allowed the co-pilot to be assigned to the Tel Aviv flight, reported Reuters.
Israel does not have diplomatic relations with Oman. Netanyahu had previously said pilots from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel were not permitted to operate flights to Israel.
It remained unclear how al-Hammami came to be assigned to FZ1073. Israel’s prime minister said the country would increase security checks for pilots flying into Israel.
Investigation underway
Flydubai has said it is investigating the incident. The airline’s chief executive, Ghaith al Ghaith, described the event as a “safety incident” inside the cockpit in his first public comments, as reported by Reuters.
A flydubai spokesperson later said the circumstances remained under investigation and that the airline could not comment further.
The UAE is leading the investigation. Israeli authorities are also expected to participate.