Flydubai Incident: Indian Captain Smith Machar Airlifted to UAE

 

 

Indian Captain Smith Machar, who sustained serious injuries while thwarting an attack by his co-pilot on a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, Israel, has been transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE for specialized treatment. He was airlifted to Dubai from a military hospital in Saudi Arabia, where he had been receiving care, and will now undergo further treatment there.

The incident occurred while the flight was en route to Israel; the co-pilot, an Omani national, stabbed Captain Smith Machar—a native of Mumbai. Following the attack, the assailant attempted to interfere with the cockpit controls, causing the aircraft to plummet rapidly. Reports indicate that the plane dropped approximately 14,000 feet in just 29 seconds and descended 17,000 feet within two minutes.