First words from pilot of hijacked Flydubai flight: 'I couldn't let all those people die'
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video of his conversation with Smit Machchhar, who continues to recover in the hospital from the serious injuries he sustained—despite which he managed to open the cockpit door and save the lives of the 174 passengers on board the plane.
A Flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 at Ben Gurion Airport (Israel). File photo
"I was trying to save my own life, but I knew that I couldn't let all those people die." The first words of Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot injured in an alleged attack by his co-pilot aboard a flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv, confirm what people are saying about him: he is a hero.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a video of his conversation with his compatriot, who remains hospitalized. Thanks to his determination and courage, and despite the severity of his injuries, he was able to open the cockpit door and let passengers in, who subdued the attacker and managed to regain control of the aircraft.
"I was trying to save my own life, but I knew I couldn't let all those people die. I had suffered so many injuries that I collapsed. At that moment, I could feel the plane was descending. I knew it was my last chance—that the door was right there. They kept hitting me, but I just opened the door and everyone came in," he said.
The experience, key to Machchhar's final effort
The flight, a Boeing 737 operated by Flydubai, was carrying 174 passengers when the altercation occurred on Wednesday.
Machchhar, with 17 years of aviation experience, including 11 as a captain, was able to understand what was happening even while injured. It was the sensation that the plane was losing altitude at a dramatic rate that led him to make a last-ditch effort to avert a catastrophe.
Emergency landing in Saudi Arabia
The circumstances of the confrontation remain under investigation. According to the allegations, the first officer attacked Machchhar, triggering a struggle for control of the aircraft. When the pilot, despite his injuries, managed to open the cockpit door, the passengers helped divert the Flydubai plane to prevent it from crashing, allowing for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
Modi stated that the pilot's actions helped save hundreds of lives and prevent "a major tragedy." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also credited Machchhar and the passengers on the flight with averting a catastrophe.
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