Pilot Smit Machchhar Moved to Abu Dhabi for Treatment

Captain Smit Machchhar has been transferred from a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, to Abu Dhabi for further treatment after being injured in an incident aboard a Flydubai flight, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Thursday. India’s ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Deepak Mittal, visited Machchhar and his family at the hospital and said the pilot was in good health and recovering well. The ministry said it was closely monitoring Machchhar’s condition. The Indian Embassy in the UAE said it remained in contact with local authorities regarding his medical care. Machchhar had initially received treatment in Tabuk, where the flight landed after being diverted. The incident occurred Wednesday aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board. The aircraft landed safely in Tabuk, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Accounts in the supplied reporting describe an altercation involving Machchhar and his copilot in the cockpit, but the precise sequence of events has not been established.