New Delhi [India], October 2 , 2026: Sonal Machchhar, the wife of Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, recalled the horrifying moment of learning about the mid-air attack on her husband inside a flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, stating that she was left “very devastated” and lacked the immediate “mental capacity” to even comprehend the crisis.
In a conversation with CNN-News 18, Sonal described being overcome with shock upon hearing the news, stating, “I was very devastated. And I didn’t have the mental capacity (to know) how I should react.” She explained that the presence of her loved ones, along with updates provided by Indian authorities, offered crucial comfort during the ordeal.
“But as I had my friends and family around me, I was reassured that everything is okay. And very soon, I started getting news that he is stable,” she remarked.
CNN-News18 reported that Sonal was able to meet with her husband on Thursday in the hospital in Abu Dhabi, which helped relieve her lingering anxieties about his well-being.
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Reflecting on the visit, she said, “I met him on Thursday, and that gives me reassurance that he is in the right hands—very good care, under the good care of UAE doctors, military doctors.”
Moving forward, her primary objective is assisting in his healing process, telling the outlet, “And I’m just hoping that he comes back home soon, and I’m going to do everything what it takes for his recovery.”
When asked about the reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wished to speak with Captain Machchhar, Sonal indicated that any dialogue should take place directly between them once her husband has sufficiently recovered.
She noted to CNN-News18, “I will not be able to talk to Mr Netanyahu. I think Smit is the right person; he should answer to Mr Netanyahu,” adding that “he will definitely talk to him once he is in the right frame of mind.”