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'Couldn't sleep all night': Captain Smit Machchhar's family recounts flydubai ordeal
From tense hours to tears of pride — his wife, father-in-law and brother-in-law recall what an emotional roller coaster it has been
- PUBLISHED: Sun 4 Oct 2026, 6:00 AM UPDATED: Sun 4 Oct 2026, 8:29 AM
The family of Captain Smit Machchhar is still experiencing a roller coaster of emotions as investigations into the incident on a flydubai flight continue. On Saturday, speaking to Indian media, his wife, Sonal Machchhar said that initially she was devastated and didn’t know how to react. The reassurance of her husband's safety came later as officials updated her that he was stable.
Captain Smit suffered serious injuries when his co-pilot tried to take control of the aircraft in what the UAE has described as a “terror act”. He was attacked with a crash axe — a safety tool kept in the cockpit for use in emergencies, such as breaking through doors or panels.
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The plane was diverted and landed in Saudi Arabia, where he underwent surgery before being shifted to the UAE to receive further medical treatment. On Saturday, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited Captain Smit in hospital, later noting on social media platform X that the UAE was proud that Smit was “part of our team…and part of our nation's story."
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A miracle in the sky
For his family, the fact that Smit survived is nothing short of miraculous. His father-in-law, Jaysukh Jogi, said the plane landing safely after the mid-air struggle was impossible to explain.
“Five people helped him. It is a miracle,” he told local media. “He opened the cockpit door. Everything was over in three minutes.”
He recalled the tense hours before any information came through. “There was so much tension, my daughter Sonal and I couldn’t sleep all night. They were not even letting us talk to him. Later, once we learnt he was in stable condition, we started to relax."
Jaysukh detailed the injuries Smit sustained: “He was struck on his head and hand, resulting in a fracture in his hand. He has cuts and stitches in several places on his body, but his condition is stable now.”
‘Incredibly proud’
The family’s relief at Smit’s survival has been matched only by their pride in what he accomplished. His brother-in-law, Ankit Jogi, expressed awe at the narrow window in which Smit acted.
“We are incredibly proud of what he has accomplished. He had a very narrow window, a very short timeframe, yet he achieved what he did,” Ankit told Indian media. “I would say that perhaps no one else could have pulled off what he managed to do”
He described Smit as someone who “has always prioritised his work and strictly adhered to protocols,” which he believes explains how heroically the captain acted during the ordeal.
Family members in India are now waiting for Smit to return to his home country. “The whole country is waiting for his return so that we can hold a ceremony and give him a grand welcome,” he said.
