Flydubai incident: Indian pilot stable, co-pilot in custody; Saudi, UAE launch probes
Indian pilot Smit Machchhar is recovering after successfully landing a Flydubai flight following a mid-air attack by the co-pilot. The captain is credited with saving the aircraft and its 174 passengers despite sustaining serious injuries.
Why it matters
The pilot's heroic actions prevented a potential aviation disaster, drawing praise from international leaders.
A Dubai-Tel Aviv flight carrying 174 people was plunged into chaos on Wednesday after the Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit and attempted to seize control of the aircraft, forcing it into a sharp descent before it was diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely.Indian captain Smit Machchhar, despite being seriously injured, managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker and help regain control of the Boeing 737.The flight, flydubai FZ1073, was then diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely with all 174 people on board.Machchhar was later airlifted to Abu Dhabi for specialised treatment and is now out of danger and recovering, according to the Indian Embassy in the UAE.The incident has triggered investigations by Saudi and UAE authorities, with Israeli investigators also involved.
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