Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar has spoken about his harrowing experience during a flydubai flight when he was attacked by his co-pilot en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Despite suffering multiple injuries, Machchhar realized the urgency of regaining control of the aircraft to ensure the safety of the passengers on board.
While recovering in a hospital in Abu Dhabi, Machchhar recounted the ordeal in a video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He described how, after being attacked, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers to intervene and restrain the co-pilot as the plane was making a steep descent. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 carrying 182 people, was then diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing.
The incident has left Machchhar seriously injured, and he is currently receiving medical treatment. The motive behind the attack is still under investigation, and the co-pilot, an Omani national, has been detained in Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar shared that during the crisis, he recited the Hanuman Chalisa, a Hindu prayer, which he credits as a source of courage while he fought to protect the lives of those on board. Originally from Mumbai, Machchhar has been with flydubai for around four years, previously working for SpiceJet, and has accumulated thousands of hours of flying experience.