Smit Machchhar ‘in good health, recovering well’ after Abu Dhabi transfer, Indian envoy says

New Delhi: Injured Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar is “in good health and recovering well” after being shifted from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi for continued medical treatment following the Wednesday cockpit incident aboard flight FZ1073. The Indian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Deepak Mittal, has met Machchhar and his family at the hospital, providing the latest official update on the pilot’s recovery.

Machchhar was taken to hospital in Tabuk after the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia and subsequently underwent emergency treatment before being airlifted to Abu Dhabi for advanced medical care. His condition has improved from the immediate aftermath of the incident, although he remains under medical supervision.

The government said Machchhar had been shifted to Abu Dhabi for “continued medical attention and recovery” after receiving initial treatment in Tabuk. Mittal met the captain in hospital and enquired about his well-being, while the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate general of India in Dubai remain in close contact with local authorities.

In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “We continue to closely follow the health condition of Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian national and the brave pilot of FlyDubai flight FZ 1073. After receiving initial medical treatment in a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, he has now been shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical attention and recovery.”
It further said the Indian ambassador to the UAE met Marchchhar at the hospital after meeting his family and assured all possible support for the captain’s health and wellbeing.

“Our embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai are in close touch with the local authorities in the matter.” the statement said. The MEA also conveyed the country’s “deep appreciation” to the support Machchhar received from across the world.
The Indian embassy in the UAE said on X that Machchhar was “in good health and recovering well” and that the mission continued to coordinate with local authorities to ensure his medical care and well-being.

‘Speaking, smiling and laughing’

Indian diplomatic officials have provided increasingly encouraging details about Machchhar’s condition. The consulate general of India in Dubai said the captain was “speaking openly, smiling and laughing” during the interaction, indicating an improvement from the initial hours after the flight landed in Tabuk.

Mittal had earlier met Machchhar’s family and assured them of all possible assistance. The Government of India said it once again saluted the captain’s “valour and courage” and expressed “deep appreciation” for the admiration and support he has received from across the world for what it described as his “act of gallantry”.

The prime minister, Narendra Modi, has spoken to Machchhar’s father, Bhupendrabhai, mother, Gitaben, and wife, Sonalben, to enquire about his health and assure them of government support. Modi praised the pilot’s “patience, presence of mind, and courage”, saying his actions had helped avert a major tragedy.

The minister of state for external affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, also praised Machchhar and called for stronger international cooperation against terrorism. Authorities investigating the incident, however, have not established a terrorism motive.

Flight incident remains under investigation

As RNA Media reported earlier, Machchhar was seriously injured during an altercation with his co-pilot aboard flight FZ1073 while it was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people aboard. Israeli officials said that despite his injuries, he managed to release the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to intervene before two other Flydubai pilots aboard helped land the aircraft safely at Tabuk.

The exact circumstances and motive remain under investigation. An Israeli official told Associated Press that Israel expects the UAE investigation to provide further findings once the Saudi inquiry is completed, while Flydubai has cautioned against premature speculation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a subsequent CBS News interview, described Machchhar’s actions as a “tremendous act of heroism” and said they had helped prevent what he characterised as “another 9/11 style crash”. His description remains an assessment of the incident rather than an investigative finding.

Machchhar has also received public recognition in India. Gujarat has announced the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award and a ₹25 lakh reward for him, while RNA Media previously reported that Modi, Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump publicly praised his actions.

Machchhar will continue receiving treatment in Abu Dhabi, with Indian diplomatic officials monitoring his recovery and coordinating with his family and UAE authorities. No official timeline has been announced for his discharge or return to flying.