HighLights
  1. Captain Smit Machchhar sustained serious injuries foiling crash attempt.
  2. Co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar mid-flight, causing aircraft plunge.
  3. World leaders praised Machchhar's extraordinary courage and heroism.

The first visuals of Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who sustained serious injuries while allegedly foiling an attempt by his co-pilot to crash a Dubai-Tel Aviv Flydubai flight, have emerged on Thursday.

The visuals show injuries on the right side of Machchhar's body, with his chest and abdomen heavily bandaged following the incident. 

ALSO READ: 'Will Examine Possible Terror Link': UAE's First Statement On flydubai Flight Scare, Orders Formation Of Team To Probe

Flydubai Flight Horror 

The horror unfolded aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was carrying 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Mid-flight, the co-pilot, identified as an Omani national, allegedly attacked Machchhar inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.

Covered in blood on the floor, Machchhar summoned "the last moments of his energy" to click open the cockpit door release, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson, Doron Spielman.

Unlocking the door allowed passengers and crew members to overpower the co-pilot. A second pair of off-duty Flydubai pilots travelling on board then stepped in to take control, safely landing the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Machchhar was initially stabilised at a hospital in Saudi Arabia before being airlifted to Dubai for further treatment.

UAE Issues First Statement 

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday issued its first statement following the fatal incident inside the flydubai flight, asserting that it would probe all angles, including a "terror" link. The UAE authorities ordered a probe into the potential crash attempt.

ALSO READ: flydubai Scare: Hero Smit Machchar Attacked By Axe; Did Omani Co-Pilot Bring Weapon Inside Cockpit? What We Know

World Leaders Hail Machchhar As Hero

World leaders have lauded Captain Machchhar's courage and resolve.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Machchhar as a "true hero", stating that "despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker "preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi described him as a "hero" and said his courage and resolve helped avert a major tragedy.

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