BAPS Abu Dhabi mandir holds special prayers for injured flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar

Abu Dhabi: Swamis and devotees at the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi offered special prayers on Sunday for the early recovery of flydubai captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian-origin pilot who was seriously injured while thwarting a mid-air cockpit attack last week.

“Swamis and devotees at the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi came together in prayer for Captain Smit Machchhar, honouring his remarkable courage and bravery,” the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) said in a post on X. Indian Ambassador to the UAE Deepak Mittal shared the message and added that prayers continued to flow for the captain’s good health. “He is recovering well and in good spirits. The embassy remains in touch with the local authorities and the family and is extending all possible assistance,” Mittal said.

The BAPS mandir, inaugurated in February 2024 as the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Gulf, has recorded about 2.2 million visitors in its first year and has become a focal point for the Indian community’s religious and cultural activities in the UAE.

On Saturday, Dubai Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, who is also UAE deputy prime minister, defence minister and chairman of Dubai’s Executive Council, visited Captain Machchhar in hospital and praised his actions during the September 30 incident on flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

“During a visit to Captain Smit Machchhar… the flydubai pilot who embodied the highest degrees of courage, responsibility, and care for human life. From us, and from the leadership of the nation, he has our full appreciation and praise,” Sheikh Hamdan wrote on X. “We are proud that he is part of our team… part of the story of our nation… and part of what the UAE stands for… a nation of compassion… a nation of peace… and a nation of life,” he added.

Earlier in the week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Captain Machchhar over a video call, asking about his health and telling him the entire country was praying for his speedy recovery. “The whole country is praying for you. ‘Maha Mrityunjaya Jaap’ is being performed for you and your health. Your courage, presence of mind and composure saved many lives. The country can proudly say that Indians are not those who take lives, but those who are willing to risk their lives to save others,” Modi said.

Captain Machchhar, who nodded and replied “Yes, sir” to the prime minister’s remarks, was attacked by his co-pilot with a crash axe as the aircraft was cruising towards Israel. Despite severe injuries and heavy blood loss, he managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing cabin crew and passengers to enter, overpower the assailant and help two reserve pilots on board stabilise and land the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The captain was initially treated in Saudi Arabia before being shifted to Abu Dhabi for continued medical care. The Indian embassy and the Ministry of External Affairs have said he is under excellent medical care, recovering well and in good spirits, while investigations into the motive and possible terror links continue under UAE leadership.

(Inputs from IANS)