Indian pilot Capt Smit Machchhar has recounted how he fought for his life after his co-pilot stabbed him and sent a flydubai flight into a steep descent, saying he knew he had to get up to save the passengers onboard.
Key facts
- Capt Smit Machchhar helped thwart an apparent attempt to crash a flydubai flight.
- He is recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital.
- Machchhar said his co-pilot stabbed him and the plane began a steep descent.
- He described the account in a video call with Indian PM Narendra Modi, broadcast live on Indian news channels.
- He has been hailed as a 'national hero'.
The Indian pilot who helped thwart an apparent attempt to crash a flydubai flight has described how he fought for his life in the minutes after his co-pilot stabbed him and the aircraft began a steep descent.
Capt Smit Machchhar, who is recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, recounted the ordeal in a video call with the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, that was broadcast live on Indian television news channels, according to the Guardian.
Machchhar told Modi that he realised he had to get back on his feet to save the people onboard. He said that if he did not get up, then the ‘passengers would lose their lives.’
The pilot said he was ‘fighting for my life’ in the moments after the attack, as he worked to regain control of the situation while the plane descended.
Machchhar has been hailed as a ‘national hero’ for his role in preventing the apparent attempt to crash the flight, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The account marks the first public description from the pilot himself of the events aboard the aircraft, delivered as he continues his recovery in hospital.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the extraordinary risks that can unfold inside an aircraft cockpit and the role of flight crew in protecting passengers. The pilot's account has drawn national attention in India, where he has been celebrated for his actions.
Frequently asked questions
What happened on the flydubai flight?
According to the Guardian, the co-pilot stabbed Capt Smit Machchhar and the plane began a steep descent in what was an apparent attempt to crash the flight, which Machchhar helped thwart.
Who is Smit Machchhar?
He is the Indian pilot who helped prevent the apparent attempt to crash the flydubai flight. He is recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital and has been hailed as a national hero.
What did the pilot say about the attack?
Machchhar said he was fighting for his life and that he realised if he did not get up, then the passengers would lose their lives. He shared his account in a video call with Indian PM Narendra Modi.