Dubai Airways FZ1073 flight captain Smit Machchhar said, “I gave it my all,” when discussing the attempted hijacking incident involving the co-pilot.
On Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Indian captain Machchhar. Three days earlier, on September 30, the FZ1073 flight from Dubai, UAE to Tel Aviv, Israel, was heading towards a disaster after the captain was attacked. However, passengers and 8 crew members managed to subdue the co-pilot, preventing a tragedy.
Captain Machchhar recalled the intense struggle that took place inside the cockpit. Initially, the Omani co-pilot said he wanted to pray, which the captain found “not unusual.”
He then deliberately moved his gaze “out of respect.” About four to five minutes later, he suddenly felt “a heavy blow to the back of his head.”
“My first reaction was that there must be a major problem with the plane,” Machchhar said. “But then, after a few more heavy blows, I realized the problem was not with the plane, but with the person in the cockpit with me.”
Machchhar mentioned that he tried to stop the co-pilot, but the plane was in a rapid descent. Following the previous blows he received, his vision became almost completely blurred.
He pointed out that despite the co-pilot keeping the cockpit door securely locked, he managed to open it multiple times.
“I still had one last bit of strength,” Machchhar told the Prime Minister. “If I didn’t do that, I would have died… for myself as well as for others… so I rushed to the door and opened it.”
“My colleagues outside attempted to enter the code (to open the door), but that person wouldn’t let them,” the captain explained. “I put my hand on the handle, gave it a twist, and the door opened.”
“I remember lying on the floor of the cockpit, feeling the vibrations of the plane, hearing the wind and people’s screams,” he recalled.
“Thankfully, someone reacted promptly, took control, and the rest, as you already know, (Mr. Prime Minister).” the captain said.
Machchhar was stabbed by the co-pilot during the attack on a Dubai Airways plane on Wednesday. The jet with 174 passengers plummeted nearly 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) in less than 30 seconds during the incident.
A spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Reuters on Thursday that Machchhar was bleeding on the ground but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to enter and subdue the co-pilot. Another team of Dubai Airways pilots took over the plane and safely landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Netanyahu praised Machchhar as a hero, admiring his “courage” and “calmness in adversity.” He invited the captain to light a torch at Israel’s next Independence Day celebration alongside Indian Prime Minister Modi.
“Usually, only Israeli citizens get this opportunity, but I believe in this situation, all Israeli citizens would welcome you,” he told Machchhar.
The Prime Minister thanked Machchhar for his “extraordinary” actions, stating that his spirit saved the world.
“You are a hero of Israel, a hero of India, a hero of the world,” he told the captain. “I can tell you that the people here (in Israel) will welcome you with open arms.”
Machchhar expressed his desire to meet the Israeli dentist who saved his life onboard immediately after the co-pilot’s attack.
Israeli Ambassador to the UAE Yossi Shelley became the first Israeli to meet Machchhar on Saturday.
Machchhar refused to label himself a hero and said that in the critical moment of the incident, he simply understood that he had to take action.
Shelley praised Machchhar’s bravery and formally invited him to visit Israel soon, stating that the entire nation of Israel would warmly welcome his arrival.