The Indian airline captain who helped thwart an apparent attempt to crash a FlyDubai flight described how he fought for his life after his co-pilot stabbed him and the aircraft began a steep descent. Capt. Smit Machchhar, recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised video call that he knew he had to get back on his feet to save his passengers. Machchhar was seriously injured in the Wednesday attack but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to enter and restrain the attacker as the Boeing 737 descended sharply. The flight, carrying 182 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia for an emergency landing. FlyDubai confirmed the jet was secured by on-duty crew members who diverted and landed the aircraft safely. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the attacker, an Omani national, was arrested in Saudi Arabia and is undergoing interrogation, though a motive remains unclear. Modi praised Machchhar, stating his courage, patience, and presence of mind saved many lives. Speaking from his hospital bed with a bandaged head, Machchhar recalled falling down and realizing that if he did not get up, the passengers would lose their lives. With 17 years of flying experience, including 11 as a captain, Machchhar said he could sense the plane plummeting even with his eyes closed. During the ordeal, he recited the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu devotional hymn, for strength and courage. Philip Kean, CEO of Mainland Air, the New Zealand flight school where Machchhar trained, noted that while pilots are trained for incapacitation emergencies, handbooks do not typically prepare crew members for a stabbing attack by a colleague.
Source: abcnews.com
