Flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed by his co-pilot during a mid-air cockpit attack, was airlifted to Abu Dhabi for further treatment, ANI reported on Thursday.
Machchhar was seriously injured while foiling an alleged attempt by his co-pilot to crash Flydubai flight FZ1073, which travelled from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday with 174 people on board. He was initially taken to a hospital in Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where he was reported to be in stable condition, PTI reported, citing officials.
Also Read: Indian pilot Smit Machchhar in stable condition after Flydubai cockpit attack
The Indian Embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar received medical treatment at a hospital in Tabuk and that the mission and the Consulate General of India in Jeddah remained in touch with his family and Saudi authorities.
The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, stabbed Machchhar inside the cockpit and sent the aircraft plunging nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds, according to reports.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the co-pilot. Two off-duty Flydubai pilots who were travelling on the aircraft then helped bring the plane under control and land it safely in Tabuk, according to The Times of Israel.
All passengers reached Israel safely after the incident.
Saudi authorities investigated the attack, according to a PTI report.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Machchhar's courage and said his actions helped avert a major tragedy. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also hailed the Indian pilot as a "true hero".
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The Indian mission in Saudi Arabia said it closely monitored Machchhar's condition and remained in contact with his family while extending assistance for his treatment.
