Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot at the center of the flydubai Flight FZ1073 emergency, is in stable condition at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, according to the Indian Embassy in Riyadh.
A local lawmaker told CNN the captain was "out of danger" after surgery on Wednesday. Crowds have gathered outside his family's home in Ghatkopar East, Mumbai, waving Indian flags and photos of him.
The flight left Dubai for Tel Aviv on September 30 with 174 people aboard, according to Israel's Foreign Ministry. Israeli officials said the captain was attacked in the cockpit, and the plane dropped nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds before it was brought under control. The airline described an "altercation" on the flight deck and cautioned against speculation. The cause remains under investigation.
The captain, though injured, managed to open the cockpit door, which allowed passengers and crew to step in and subdue the person responsible. The flight made an emergency landing at Tabuk, and no passengers were reported hurt. Replacement aircraft later took them on to Israel.
CNN describes Machchhar as a "jovial" pilot and father. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised his "extraordinary bravery," and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi also called him a hero.
