New Delhi, 01 October (H.S.):

Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar is stable and receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia after being injured during a violent cockpit confrontation aboard a flydubai passenger aircraft, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Wednesday, September 30.

Machchhar is being treated at a hospital in Tabuk, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, after flydubai flight FZ1073 was diverted there following the incident while travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

The Indian Embassy said it, along with the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, was closely monitoring Machchhar’s condition and remained in contact with his family. Indian officials also said they were coordinating with Saudi authorities and would provide all possible assistance.

The embassy said initial information indicated that Machchhar was stable and expressed hope for his early recovery.

The incident unfolded on Wednesday when a confrontation erupted inside the cockpit of the Boeing 737. According to reports, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar during the confrontation, after which the aircraft experienced a rapid descent.

Passengers and crew members intervened during the emergency, while other pilots travelling aboard the aircraft helped regain control of the plane.

The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, where it landed safely. Saudi authorities took the co-pilot into custody as investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding the incident. A definitive motive has not been publicly established.

Machchhar's actions have drawn international attention. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Indian captain for what he described as exceptional courage, saying he continued to act despite being seriously injured.

Passengers and crew members who entered the cockpit have also been credited with helping bring the situation under control. Flight-tracking data indicated that the aircraft lost thousands of feet during the emergency before its descent was stabilised.

Machchhar is an experienced commercial pilot with a background flying Boeing 737 aircraft. Before joining flydubai, he spent several years with Indian carrier SpiceJet, where he served in senior operational roles.

The incident has also renewed scrutiny of cockpit security and pilot screening on flights entering Israel. Israeli authorities have indicated that additional security measures for pilots could follow the episode.

Flydubai has acknowledged the cockpit altercation, while investigations continue into the sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the confrontation.

For Machchhar's family and Indian officials, the immediate focus remains on his recovery. Meanwhile, investigators in Saudi Arabia are working to establish a complete account of what happened aboard flight FZ1073 and what led to the dramatic emergency diversion.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar