Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, who helped thwart an apparent attempt to crash a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, has been hailed as a hero. In a video call with India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, Machchhar described how he made a "last push" to open the cockpit door while fighting for his life.
Pilot's account of the attack
Machchhar, recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, told Modi how he helped save the plane and its more than 170 passengers. "I had suffered so many injuries that I had collapsed. At that time, I could feel that the aircraft was going down. I knew this was the last push," he said. "I was fighting for my life. At one point, I realised that if I didn't get up … then passengers would lose their lives."
His Omani co-pilot allegedly stabbed him and set the plane on a steep descent, plummeting about 17,000 feet in a minute. Despite the attack, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter, subdue the attacker, and stabilise the plane.
Investigation and response
The full circumstances of the attack remain under investigation. A relief crew helped land the plane safely in Tabouk, north-west Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot and have since interrogated him. The attacker is to be sent back to the United Arab Emirates, where investigators will work to establish any links with terror organisations.
Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said an initial background investigation indicated the attacker had undergone "Islamic radical indoctrination". Netanyahu said Israel would cooperate with the UAE on the investigation.
Pilot praised by PM Modi
Modi praised Machchhar, a father of two, for helping prevent a "great tragedy". "You have done such a great thing that people across the country and around the world are eager to see you and speak to you," Modi told him. "You have truly made the whole country proud."
Machchhar credited his 17 years of aviation experience for helping him understand the gravity of the situation. During the difficult moments, he recited the Hanuman Chalisa, a devotional hymn to the Hindu deity Hanuman, traditionally recited as a prayer for strength and courage. "Lord Hanuman gave me courage," he told Modi.
He added that he felt proud of himself for the first time since the attack. "I am feeling very proud right now. I had not felt proud of myself until now," he said. Covered in bandages, he said, "I am not thinking of it as a wound, I am thinking of it as a journey. And it will take time, but I am very, very confident that I will recover."
