Over 200 expats gather for pilot who foiled cockpit terror attack on Dubai flight

More than 200 Indian expatriates gathered at the Indian Consulate in Dubai on Wednesday to honour flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar, the pilot credited with saving 174 lives during a cockpit attack in September. The standing ovation took place during a special programme organised by the Consulate and the Indian People Forum (IPF) UAE. Community tribute for emergency response The tribute was led by Jitendra Vaidya, President of IPF UAE, in the presence of Dr E. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy, Consul General of India, and other diplomatic officials. Vaidya commended Machchhar’s presence of mind, stating that his split-second decision under duress saved the lives of every passenger and crew member on board. The pilot was recently airlifted to the UAE for further medical care following the incident. On 30 September, Captain Machchhar was operating flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv when he was seriously injured. The UAE Attorney General has since classified the incident as an attempted terrorist attack, alleging that the co-pilot attacked Machchhar with a crash axe in an attempt to seize control of the Boeing 737 MAX 8. Despite his injuries, the captain opened the cockpit door, allowing crew members to intervene and secure the aircraft for an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Medical recovery and diplomatic support The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi confirmed on Tuesday that Captain Machchhar is making "steady progress" and regaining his health while receiving treatment in…