A remarkable act of courage and quick thinking has saved dozens of lives onboard a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv, after an unprovoked attack by the co-pilot sent the plane plummeting mid-air. The hero of the incident, Indian captain Smit Machchhar, has recounted his harrowing experience in an emotional video conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sharing how he fought through injuries to retake control of the descending aircraft.
According to Machchhar’s account, the attack unfolded while the flight was two hours into its journey from Dubai to Israel, leaving him injured on the cockpit floor at the hands of his fellow crew member. Even as he grappled with his wounds and the ongoing assault, the captain noticed the plane entering a dangerous rapid descent. Refusing to give up, he summoned every last bit of strength to force open the locked cockpit door from inside, allowing passengers to enter and help subdue the attacker.
“I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside,” Machchhar told Modi in the call. “Others came in and also played a role [in controlling the situation]. I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die.”
In the chaotic minutes after the attack, the plane dropped more than 17,000 feet (around 5,200 meters) before the combined effort of passengers and remaining crew overpowered the attacker and stabilized the aircraft. The flight was immediately diverted to Tabuk, a city in northwestern Saudi Arabia, for an emergency landing, which was completed safely with no fatalities among passengers and crew.
Following the emergency landing, Machchhar was first transported to a local hospital in Tabuk for immediate treatment. He was later airlifted to a medical facility in Abu Dhabi, where medical teams report he is in stable condition. On Thursday, the Indian embassy in the United Arab Emirates confirmed that the captain is in good overall health and progressing well with his recovery. Deepak Mittal, India’s ambassador to the UAE, met with Machchhar after his transfer, saying he was deeply proud of the pilot’s extraordinary bravery and reassured by his steady recovery.
Even as he recovers from his injuries, Machchhar has displayed a remarkably resilient attitude. “I am not looking at this wound like a wound because that would make my recovery even more difficult,” he said. “I am looking at it as a journey which is slowly going on and will take time but I am confident that the recovery will be there and I will become fit and healthy again.”
Leaders from across the globe have praised Machchhar for his life-saving actions. Prime Minister Modi told the captain that his courage, patience, and split-second decision-making preserved the lives of every person on the flight, and that the entire nation of India stands proud of his heroism. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also joined in honoring the pilot, calling him a “true hero” for protecting all onboard regardless of nationality.