Captain Smit Machchhar suffers skull fracture after axe attack by co-pilot on flydubai flight

On a flydubai flight, co-pilot Hammam al-Hammami assaulted captain Smit Machchhar with an axe, delivering a blow that resulted in a depressed fracture of the skull. The captain was rushed to a Saudi Arabian hospital for emergency neurosurgery, after which he was flown to the United Arab Emirates for continued treatment. Dr. Krishan Kumar Yadav, senior clinical director at Marengo Asia Hospitals, described the delicate operation to lift the bone fragment and repair the brain's protective membrane.

The Indian embassy in the UAE confirmed the captain is making steady progress, though his recovery will involve periods of fatigue, headaches, and reduced concentration. Machchhar recounted that the attack occurred shortly after the co-pilot began praying, and he initially mistook the impact for aircraft damage before realizing the assault. He attempted to stop the assailant but was blinded by the blows as the aircraft descended sharply.