The survival of the flydubai flight that dived suddenly from 34,000 feet to 17,000 feet in about a minute-and-a-half with the co-pilot trying to kill the pilot was nothing short of a miracle.
Despite serious injuries, the Indian pilot unlocked the cockpit door and allowed passengers and crew to intervene.
At this speed, most civilian airliners would likely be severely damaged and become unflyable, according to experts. Machchhar was attacked by the co-pilot, an Omani national, according to media reports, as the co-pilot tried to take control of the aircraft. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker – preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, hailing him as a “true hero”. “My salute to the Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary bravery,” Netanyahu said, adding that he saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals. Israel’s Foreign Ministry also called Machchhar a “hero” and hailed the collective efforts of the Indian pilot, Israeli passengers and Emirati crew in saving those onboard.
