Hero Flydubai Pilot Smit Machchhar suffers skull fracture, undergoes emergency surgery

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Abu Dhabi: Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, who helped prevent an apparent attempt to crash a flydubai flight, suffered a serious depressed skull fracture during the mid-air attack.

Machchhar was stabbed on flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv inside the cockpit of his flight by his Omani co-pilot, leaving him profusely bleeding and heavily injured, he still mustered the strength to open the cockpit door for passengers and the crew to intervene and pin the attacker down.

Over 170 passenger and crew members were on board when the aircraft made an emergency stop in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where he was treated, receiving medical assistance and having his skull reconstructed before being transported to Abu Dhabi.

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The 38-year-old flyer also sustained injuries to his limbs, chest and upper abdomen. The pilot is now being treated in the UAE and he is reportedly in a good condition, while his family has been granted access to visit him.

The downing happened on September 30, when a flydubai flight FZ1073 plummeted thousands of feet and transmitted an emergency signal before changing to the hijacking code. The co-pilot was then overpowered and the plane landed safely.

Captain Machchhar has received praise for his behaviour during the emergency, with passengers and officials praising him and his crew for allegedly helping to avert a potentially disastrous ending.

Also Read: Dubai’s Crown Prince Hamdan Meets flydubai Hero Smit Machchhar

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