Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar, praising the seriously wounded pilot for opening the cockpit despite his injuries and allowing passengers and crew to stop the terrorist who attacked him last week.
In a post on X, Hamdan said Machchhar “embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life.”
During a visit to Captain Smit Machchhar… the flydubai pilot who embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life.
From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise.
We are proud that he is part of our… pic.twitter.com/QgpQxdcK5C
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) October 3, 2026
“From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise,” the Emirati royal wrote. “We are proud that he is part of our team… part of the story of our nation… and part of what the UAE stands for… a nation of compassion… a nation of peace… and a nation of life.”
Machchhar has also received praise from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shortly after the attack, Netanyahu said the captain “managed to prevent a disaster on the scale of September 11.”
“Captain Machchhar is a hero. In the face of immense danger, and despite being seriously injured, he demonstrated tremendous courage and unwavering determination to protect the lives of others. His bravery helped save hundreds of lives and prevent a major disaster. India is proud of Captain Matchachar. Praying for his speedy recovery,” Modi said.
The attack remains under investigation. UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi has formally classified the incident as terrorism.
“Investigations into the incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073 found that the copilot had attempted to carry out a terrorist attack,” Al Shamsi said in a statement carried by the UAE’s state news agency.
The co-pilot, identified by media and intelligence sources as Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Machchhar with the Boeing 737’s emergency crash axe. The aircraft, carrying 174 passengers, almost all Israelis, plunged nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) in less than 30 seconds. Other reports put the descent at 17,000 feet.
Officials told the Associated Press that al-Hammami had previously been removed from flying duties in Oman and reassigned to an administrative position after authorities found extremist materials in his possession and identified radical ideological views.
