Bloodied but brave: Pilot Smit hailed as global hero
New Delhi/ Dubai: An Indian pilot and passengers helped avert a major disaster after an alleged mid-air attack on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian commander of Flight FZ1073, was seriously injured after his co-pilot allegedly attacked him inside the cockpit. Despite being badly wounded, Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew members to intervene.
His actions have drawn praise from Indian and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu.
He is being airlifted to Abu Dhabi for advanced medical care. The Boeing 737 Max 8 was carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, when the emergency unfolded on Wednesday. The aircraft reportedly descended more than 17,000 feet, from around 34,000 feet, in a sharply accelerated descent before eventually landing at Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. According to accounts cited by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, an Israeli passenger rushed into the cockpit after hearing screams. He allegedly pulled the attacker away from the controls, while other passengers and crew members helped restrain him. Reserve crew members subsequently entered the cockpit and helped stabilise the aircraft.
The Federation of Indian Pilots, however, said the exact sequence of events needs investigation. FIP president Captain CS Randhawa described the incident as a failure of cockpit resource management and said it was not yet clear who ultimately landed the aircraft. The co-pilot, an Omani citizen, was taken into custody in Saudi Arabia. Investigators from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Israel and the United States are involved in examining the incident. The UAE has also formed a specialised investigation team.
Machchhar, who was taken to a hospital in Tabuk, was reported to be in stable condition. His actions have drawn praise from Indian and Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu.