Indian Pilot Shares Harrowing Experience After Co-Pilot Attack
On October 2, an Indian pilot who was attacked by his co-pilot during a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv recounted his terrifying experience in a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The pilot, Smit Machchhar, spoke from his hospital bed in Abu Dhabi, showing visible signs of his injuries, including bandages on his head and hands.
In the nearly ten-minute video, Machchhar fought back tears as he described the critical moment of the attack. “I knew the aircraft was going down… I had fallen to the ground. I told myself that the door is right there, just open it. I managed to do it and people entered,” he explained.
On Wednesday, Machchhar was stabbed in an apparent attempt by his co-pilot to crash the plane, which was carrying 174 people. During the incident, the aircraft rapidly descended nearly 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds.
With 17 years of flying experience and 11 years as a captain, Machchhar recounted his thoughts during the chaos. “I knew that the aircraft was going down,” he stated, highlighting his awareness of the situation.
Prime Minister Modi praised Machchhar for his bravery, noting that his quick thinking helped save lives and uphold the reputation of Indian pilots. In a deeply emotional moment, Machchhar expressed gratitude, saying, “I know God saved me.” He shared that he recited a prayer to the Hindu monkey god Hanuman during the crisis.
A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that Machchhar was covered in blood and lying on the floor when he managed to unlock the cockpit door. This courageous act allowed passengers and crew to subdue the co-pilot, enabling the second crew of flydubai pilots to regain control of the aircraft and safely land it in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
