Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian ‘hero’ pilot who was stabbed while fighting off his Omani co-pilot’s attempt to crash the Dubai-Tel Aviv flydubai flight, suffered multiple injuries but is showing “positive recovery”, sources told NDTV.
Captain Machchhar was airlifted from Saudi Arabia to Abu Dhabi earlier today for advanced medical care. He was admitted to the Military Hospital, where a team of specialised doctors has been closely monitoring him. Footage showed chaos inside the aircraft mid-air, with people shouting in panic. It also showed Captain Machchhar lying in a pool of blood on the ground outside the cockpit and saying his co-pilot hit him. Another person, who appeared to be a crew member, asked passengers, “Doctor, is there a doctor? Passengers near the front helped move the attacker away from the cockpit. Among them was Yaniv Hayoun, who grabbed the co-pilot, choked him, and pulled him away. In the meantime, a dentist gave life-saving help to Captain Machchhar. Two other relief pilots who were seated at the back took over the aircraft and diverted it to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Captain Machchhar over a video call, praising his heroic act of averting a catastrophe. “You sustained such a severe injury and were fighting for life and death. “I had so many wounds; I had fallen down. I can sense exactly what is happening with the aircraft even with my eyes closed. When I was down, I could feel that the aircraft was plummeting.
Yet, even then, you did not care for your life, you cared for the lives of all the passengers…You increased the honour of 140 crore Indians,” he said. I have been flying planes for 17 years and serving as a captain for the last 11.
Captain Machchhar suffered wounds to his limbs, chest, and upper abdominal area, according to sources. Sources said that the pilot is “responding well” to the treatment. Authorities have also allowed Captain Machchhar’s family to meet him at the hospital, sources said, adding that his regular health updates are being communicated to them. “My hand…I can move my hand but cannot squeeze it,” he said. PM Modi told him that his “courage, patience, and presence of mind” saved many lives. Machchhar then narrated the chain of events aboard the flydubai flight, saying that he was “fighting for his life” in the cockpit. There was a moment when I realised that if I didn’t do anything, the passengers would die,” he said. “Everyone else played an equal role,” he added.
Despite being injured, the Indian pilot unlocked the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to intervene and overpower the attacker. On Wednesday, an Omani co-pilot tried to sabotage the flydubai aircraft , which was carrying over 170 passengers including 24 children, and later stabbed Captain Machchhar who tried to stop him. At the time, the Boeing 737, cruising at about 34,000 feet, began dropping at roughly 23,000 feet per minute before reaching about 15,600 feet.
