DUBAI, Oct. 3
Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar in hospital on Saturday, personally praising the flydubai captain whose actions during a violent mid-air cockpit attack helped save the lives of 172 passengers and crew members.
Photographs from the meeting showed Sheikh Hamdan speaking with Machchhar and embracing the injured pilot, who remains under medical care after suffering serious injuries during the attack aboard a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Following the visit, Sheikh Hamdan expressed the UAE leadership’s appreciation for the Indian captain and said the country was proud to have him as part of its team.
“From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise,” Sheikh Hamdan said, describing Machchhar as part of the UAE’s story and the values for which the country stands.
The Crown Prince’s visit adds to the international recognition Machchhar has received since details emerged of the extraordinary events aboard the flight.
Machchhar was captain of the flydubai aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when his co-pilot, identified as Omani national Hamam Alhammami, allegedly attacked him with a cockpit crash axe.
The aircraft subsequently lost thousands of feet of altitude as the two pilots struggled inside the cockpit.
Despite being grievously wounded, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door and alert those outside.
Passengers then entered the cockpit and helped overpower the alleged attacker. Off-duty pilots aboard the aircraft subsequently helped bring the situation under control and land the plane safely.
The incident has since placed Machchhar at the centre of international attention, with his actions credited with helping avert a potential catastrophe involving 172 passengers and crew.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump have all praised the Indian pilot for his courage during the emergency.
Machchhar’s condition has also been closely followed in India.
The Indian Embassy in the UAE said the captain remains under excellent medical care and is recovering well.
The embassy said it was in contact with Machchhar’s family and local authorities and thanked the UAE government for the care being provided to him.
His father, Bhupendra Machchhar, has said that while his son is recovering, the seriousness of his injuries means his wounds will take considerable time to heal completely.
The UAE is leading the investigation into the incident.
Authorities are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged attack and whether it was connected to any terrorist activity or purpose.
The motive has not yet been officially established.
Reports have also raised questions about the background of the alleged attacker. Alhammami is an Omani citizen who was born in the UAE to an Omani father and Syrian mother and had spent several years in the Emirates.
The investigation is expected to examine both his actions aboard the aircraft and whether there were any prior indications that could help establish a motive.
For now, however, attention in Dubai has also centred on the recovery and recognition of the Indian captain.
Sheikh Hamdan’s hospital visit carries particular significance because it represents direct acknowledgement from Dubai’s leadership of Machchhar’s actions while serving with a Dubai-based airline.
The images of the Crown Prince embracing the injured captain also offered the clearest public glimpse of Machchhar since the attack.
What began as an extraordinary aviation emergency has consequently developed into a story of international recognition for the Indian pilot.
Machchhar remains in hospital and faces a potentially lengthy recovery, while investigators work to establish why his co-pilot allegedly attacked him and attempted to bring down the aircraft.
But the central fact recognised by leaders in India, the UAE, Israel and the United States is already clear: despite suffering serious injuries, Machchhar’s actions helped give the 172 people aboard the aircraft a chance to survive.
Sheikh Hamdan’s visit placed that recognition at the highest levels of Dubai’s leadership, with the Crown Prince telling the injured Indian pilot that the UAE was proud to count him as part of its team.
