Indian Pilot Tells Modi How He Opened Cockpit Door During Attack
Smit Machchhar, who was attacked by the co-pilot during flight, shared with Prime Minister Modi how he opened the door as the plane was going down.
Indian captain Smit Machchhar, who was attacked by the co-pilot during a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, recounted to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video call how he managed to open the cockpit door and allow passengers inside as the plane rapidly lost altitude.
Video Call Details
Injured pilot Smit Machchhar held a video call lasting approximately ten minutes with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from a hospital bed in Abu Dhabi.
Moment of the Attack
The captain, who was subjected to a knife attack by his co-pilot on a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, stated that he managed to crawl to the cockpit door and open it while the plane was going down.
Loss of Altitude
Carrying 174 passengers, the aircraft had lost approximately 14,000 feet of altitude in less than thirty seconds during the incident on Wednesday.
Intervention of Passengers
With the opening of the cockpit door, passengers and crew subdued the co-pilot, after which backup pilots landed the plane in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Modi's Praise
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised pilot Machchhar for his composure and courage, stating that this saved lives.