Speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, flydubai captain Smit Machchhar recalled the terrifying moments after he was attacked by his co-pilot mid-air, saying that despite fighting for his own life, he was determined to ensure the safety of everyone on board.
Modi spoke to Machchhar, who is currently receiving treatment at a hospital in the UAE, over the phone.
Machchhar was stabbed and seriously injured by his co-pilot in the cockpit of flydubai flight FZ1073 while it was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday. During the video call, he gave the prime minister a detailed account of what happened.
He did not, however, reveal what led to the attack or what may have motivated the co-pilot.
Modi praised Machchhar for his courage, presence of mind and composure, saying that the pilot’s split-second decision had helped save the lives of numerous passengers.
“I was lying on the floor of the cockpit, injured. With whatever energy I had left, I managed to act properly and save the plane,” he said.
“I was fighting for my life, but I was determined not to let others die. It was such a crucial moment. At one point, I realised that if I did not do something, because I was lying on the ground in the cockpit, I could feel that the aircraft was going down,” he recalled.
Machchhar said he was repeatedly assaulted and suffered several injuries, but forced himself to get back on his feet because he knew he had to act.
“At that time, I thought, if I don’t get up… I have been flying planes for 17 years and have been a captain for the last 11 years. I know what is happening inside an aircraft even with my eyes closed. When I was lying down, I knew for a fact that if I could make one last push, the door was right there. Even while I was still being hit, I could open the door,” he said.
Once the cockpit door was opened, Machchhar said, others entered and everyone played an equally important role in bringing the situation under control.
“But honestly, I was acting out of survival. At the same time, I knew I couldn’t let all of them die,” he said.
Modi told Machchhar that following the incident, Indians could take pride in knowing that they were not people who took lives but those willing to risk their own lives to save others.
Machchhar told Modi that he recites the Hanuman Chalisa whenever he is in pain and was doing so during the attack, believing that God saved him. Calling Modi his greatest role model, the pilot said the prime minister’s call had boosted his morale, leaving him emotional and proud.
Modi also expressed gratitude to the governments of Saudi Arabia and the UAE for ensuring the injured pilot received proper care.
Later, Modi posted about the conversation on social media, describing it as “an unforgettable conversation with Captain Smit, filled with pride and emotions”.
Flydubai flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, issued emergency signals on Wednesday before making a rapid descent of more than 17,000 feet from an altitude of 34,000 feet. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. There were 174 people on board, including 27 children.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an Israeli passenger had told him that the aircraft began spinning and descending, following which the passenger and a crew member managed to gain access to the cockpit and overpower the co-pilot. According to Netanyahu, the co-pilot had carried out the stabbing while attempting to sabotage the aircraft’s systems.
