On 3/10, Captain Smit Machchhar, an Indian pilot for flydubai flight FZ1073, told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by phone that the incident began when the co-pilot requested to pray, which Machchhar described as "nothing unusual".
The captain turned his face away to show respect while the co-pilot prayed, but was suddenly "struck hard on the back of the head".
Machchhar did not specify the weapon, but United Arab Emirates (UAE) officials stated the co-pilot used a cockpit emergency axe to attack the captain, intending to take control of the aircraft.
"My first thought after being hit hard on the head was that the plane seemed to have a serious malfunction", he recounted. "But then the blows kept coming, one after another. That's when I realized the problem wasn't the aircraft, but the person in the cockpit with me".
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Captain Smit Machchhar met with Dubai Crown Prince Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum at a hospital in Abu Dhabi, UAE on 2/10. Photo: AP |
Despite Machchhar's efforts to fight back, the aircraft pitched sharply downwards, and his vision quickly blurred. Machchhar stated he repeatedly tried to open the cockpit door, even as the co-pilot kept closing it.
"My colleagues outside tried to enter the code to open the door, but the co-pilot prevented them", the captain explained. "After I managed to reach the handle, I believe I twisted it and opened the door".
Machchhar said he "used all his strength" to open the cockpit door because "if I didn't, I would die".
"I remember lying on the cockpit floor, feeling the aircraft, hearing the warning sirens, and people screaming", Machchhar added. "Fortunately, everyone was ready to rush in and regain control. The rest, sir, you already know".
Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed admiration for Machchhar's courage and his ability to "make calm judgments under impossible conditions", inviting him to light a torch alongside Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Israel's next Independence Day celebration.
"Normally, that ritual is reserved for Israeli citizens, but I believe in this case, all Israeli people welcome you", Netanyahu said.
The Israeli leader thanked Machchhar for his "extraordinary" actions and hailed him as a hero for Israel, India, and "the entire world".
The captain told Netanyahu he wished to meet the Israeli dentist who saved his life on the plane after Machchhar was attacked by the co-pilot.
During a meeting with Israeli Ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley on 3/10, Machchhar did not believe he should be considered a hero. The captain stated that in that critical moment, he simply understood he had to act.
Ambassador Shelley praised Machchhar's bravery and invited him to visit Israel as soon as possible.
Co-pilot Hamam al Hamami, 29, an Omani national, attacked the captain on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30/9, intending to crash the aircraft. Flydubai reported 174 passengers were on board, including 166 Israeli citizens.
After the captain fought back and opened the cockpit door, passengers immediately rushed to assist. Two reserve pilots then took over, making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The co-pilot's motive for the incident remains unclear.
By Pham Giang (According to Jerusalem Post, CNN, WSJ)
