Indian envoy in UAE says hero Indian pilot Smit Machachhar ‘in good health’ after flydubai incident

The Indian ambassador to UAE Deepak Mittal has met the injured Indian flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar a day after he got stabbed and left seriously injured by Omani copilot. “Ambassador Deepak Mittal visited Captain Smit Machchhar and his family at the hospital. Captain Machchhar is in good health and recovering well. The Embassy remains in close coordination with local authorities to ensure his continued medical care and well-being,” read the Indian Embassy’s post on X. 

Who is flydubai Hero Indian pilot Smit Machchhar? 

Captain Smit Machchhar is working with flydubai for four years. Prior to this, he worked with SpiceJet for 10 years. He has over 17 years of flying experience. In an episode of “Bonafide Banter with Zalak Mehta”, he said becoming a pilot was not always on Machchhar’s radar. After school, he enrolled in textile engineering because the course was connected to his family’s business. He later pursued management studies with the intention of helping the family business grow.

Then, at around 19, an aviation seminar changed the direction of his life. “That was when I really found the details about aviation,” he recalled. What began as an introduction to the industry eventually became a completely different career path. 

The decision to move from the family business towards aviation came with some concern at home. Asked about his parents’ reaction, Machchhar put his mother’s response simply: “Mom was scared.” He explained that aviation was a very different proposition 15 to 17 years ago and was not as familiar to many people. His father, meanwhile, was more relaxed about the decision and told him to work out how and where he wanted to pursue his pilot training.

Machchhar recalled that his pilot training cost around Rs 16-17 lakh at the time. His father supported the decision despite the expense, allowing him to pursue a career that Machchhar himself had only discovered at around 19.

PM Modi hails flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar’s heroism  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage during the mid-air cockpit confrontation aboard a flydubai flight, saying his actions prevented a potential 9/11-like incident. Machchhar was injured after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him and attempted to crash the aircraft. Despite the life-threatening situation, the captain helped avert a major disaster and bring the flight to safety. 

Prime Minister said the bravery of Captain Smit Machchhar fills the nation’s heart with pride. “In the incident that occurred yesterday, Captain Smit of India demonstrated remarkable patience, presence of mind, and courage; indeed, as the Prime Minister of Israel stated today, an Indian prevented a 9/11-style tragedy. This feat by Smit fills us with pride,” he said. 

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